A Criminal's Son
by Lobo Sombra
Summary: "My name is Anthony Cygnus Black, son of Sirius Black. He is now on Azkaban, and no one knows he had a child. That's my little secret; I am a criminal's son. I live with the Tonks, and this is my first year on Hogwarts." The first book that chronicles the life of Anthony Black. One cannot bear the name of Black without having some trouble.
1. Initiation

I wake up and I look myself in the mirror. I have black hair and silver grey eyes like my father. I am, as my family would describe "very good-looking –I have the aristocratic, somewhat haughty Black good looks". My aunt Andromeda says I have my father's appearance and my mother's personality. I don't know if that's true, I never met her. She left me with my aunt when I was very young, around one year old. They adopted me and raised me like I was their child. Few years later Ted, my aunt's husband, told me she died trying to make this world a better place. I hope she is on a better place now.

I wish I could tell the same about my father. He is now slowly rotting in Azkaban; I haven't seen him face to face, just in photos they showed me. I don't know how long he is going to be there, and when I asked, they wouldn't tell me. I have to lie when people asked me about my father, I would tell he and my mother died on a car accident.

I wash my teeth and go back to my room. My bed is at the right with a desk next to it and wardrobe next to it. I have posters all over the room, one of them is from my favorite soccer team, Manchester United, and other is from the British quidditch team.

Yeah, I'm a wizard, just like everyone in my family, except for my uncle. My aunt Andromeda is a witch, my cousin Nymphadora is a metamorphmagus, she can change her appereance whenever she wants. My uncle is what we call "muggle", meaning he has no magic powers. My and my mother were wizards too. They assisted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When I got my letter from the wizards school I was so excited, I know it must sound foolish, but somehow going to Hogwarts makes me feel closer to my parents. Today we are going to buy my school material.

I wear a white t-shirt, blue jeans and trainers, nothing fancy. I go downstairs and find that breakfast is ready. Some eggs and orange juice is waiting me at the table.

"God morning, Tony" my aunt Dromeda greets me. My real name is Anthony Cygnus, but she calls me Tony to make it short. Someone hardly calls me Cygnus." Are you ready to buy your school material?"

"Yes" I say, excited.

"Hurry up, then"

I eat breakfast as fast as I can. I barely chew my eggs and drink my juice in one sip. She smiles at my enthusiasm. I haven't told anyone this but, the fact I am joining Hogwarts makes me feel a bit closer to him. He studied there, in the very same walls. I want to be in Gryffindor just like him.

We use the Red flu and within seconds we are on Diagon Alley. There were a lot of shops all over the place. You could see a lot of people wearing robes of different colors. We reached Gringotts, the snowy-white building with bronze doors, which towered the rest of the shops. Besides the door there was a goblin with uniform. In the entrance you could see sign:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

I wonder if someone has tried to steal from here. Probably not, they say it's almost impossible to rob them. You have to be very stupid or crazy to even try. A goblin, named Griphook took us to my aunt´s safe. Inside there were mounds of Galleons, columns of Sickles, and heaps of Knuts. I wouldn't say we are very wealthy, I would say we are a hard working family. I piled some to the bag I brought, and we take off to buy the material.

"Let's get your uniform" Dromeda said,nodding towards _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions_. "Do you want me to come with you or would you rather go by yourself?"

"Wait for me outside."

I entered the shop alone, feeling nervous.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" She said when I was about to speak. I nodded. "Follow me."

Madam Malkin stood me on a stool, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length. A few minutes later, she was done and I bought her all the uniform.

We bought my school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. We also buy a cauldron, a set of glass or crystal phials, a telescope and a set brass scales at the apothecary. The only thing missing is my magic wand. That's what I been waiting for all day.

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC_. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as we stepped inside. It was a tiny place, full of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling.

"Good afternoon" said the soft old man who was standing before us, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello" I said awkwardly.

"Ah yes" said the man." Yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Anthony Black. You look just like your father."

"I do … I guess" I mumble.

"Well, now Mr. Black. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Err… well, I'm right-handed" I said.

"Hold out your arm. That's it" He measured me from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow and knee to armpit. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Black. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of two Ollivander wands are the same. Right then, Mr. Black. Try this one. Silver lime and phoenix feather. Twelve and a half inches. Quite take it and give it a wave."

I took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit. I felt sudden warmth in his fingers. I raised the wand above my head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. My aunt whopped and clapped, happily.

He put my wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown aunt paid seven gold Galleons for his wand and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

We were about to leave when I see him: dark messy hair, round glasses, everyone is trying to talk to him. Yeah, I couldn't be other than Harry Potter. I look at him with disgust; he is probably enjoying all his fame… I hate it. I heard he is living with some muggles. He probably doesn't know about You-Know-Who and my father.

I lose his head on the crowd that surround him; I turn my attention to Aunt Dromeda, who is asking me if we should go on bus or on a taxi cab. I tell her to choose the one she wants. We arrive exhausted to the house and I excuse myself and lock myself on my bedroom. I put all my stuff on a trunk and go to sleep.

In the last months of vacations, I spent most of my time reading my school books, they were very interesting. I laid on bed reading late into the night, until I finished reading all of them.

I woke at five o'clock the morning of the departure and I was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. Got up and pulled on some jeans because I didn't want to walk into the station with my wizard robes, I would change on the train. Two hours later the rest of the family woke up and they loaded my trunk in my uncle's car.

We reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Ted took my trunk and put it on a trolley and wheeled it to the station for me. We face the platforms and I was confused. There was Platform Nine and Platform Ten there was no Nine and three-quarters. Aunt Dromeda should have seen my puzzled face because she laughed.

"Come on, I will show you how to do it. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important."

"Are you sure?" I asked unconvinced.

"Yes. I will do it with you."

"All right"

We ran into the barrier and I waited for a crash but it never came. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said _Hogwarts Express_, 11 o'clock. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

"Well. I guess this is the goodbye for now" I tell my aunt.

"Yeah" she says sadly. "I will see you on Christmas." She kisses my forehead and leaves me alone.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. I pushed my trolley off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

I pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. I lift my trunk up the steps. I sat down next to the window, waiting for the train to leave. The door of the compartment slid open and Harry Potter and a young red-headed boy came in.

_"__The last thing I needed, sharing compartment with Harry Potter." _I thought.

"Anyone sitting there?" Harry asked, pointing at the seat opposite to me, I shook head and they sat down.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" The red- headed boy blurted out.

Harry nodded.

"Oh – well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes."

¿Who are they? ¿His brothers, maybe? I turn my attention back to the window when I hear them talk to me.

"What's you name?" Harry asks me.

"Anthony Black" I answer, coldly.

"I am Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter the…" says the red- headed boy.

"I know who he is" I interrupt. "He is very famous among wizards."

"So… Weasley, Right? I think I have heard about your family. Your father works in the Ministry of Magic with muggle stuff." I tell

"Yes. The job is more boring than you imagine."

"How many brothers do you have?"

"Five older brothers: Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George. One younger sister: Ginny."

"Sounds like fun" Harry says

"It's a chaos."

The three of us laugh and we fall half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Ron's ears went pink and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. I bought Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

I tippled all over an empty seat and offered them to pick some. We ate the Chocolate Frogs and they started to talk about the wizard collection Ron had started. I wasn't paying attention I prefer to look at the window. I eat some Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans and the door slip open.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one" she said. She had a bossy sort of voice and lots of bushy brown hair. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"We haven't seen it" Ron says.

"I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

"Ron Weasley" Ron mutters.

"Harry Potter" said Harry.

"Anthony Black" I tell her.

"Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad and you better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

"Wait for me" I shout. "I will help you to find his toad. Let me change first."

I change quickly and we leave Harry and Ron alone. I walk through the corridor asking people if they had seen a toad.

"Do you know what house you'll be in?" said Hermione.

"Gryffindor, I hope"

"Me too,Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet. Someone tried to rob a highly secure vault."

I stared.

"Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught."

"Well, they are probably the stupidest and bravest people on earth."

I come to the conclusion that I definitely like Hermione. Ron and Harry aren't bad people; I might be friend of Ron and Harry.

I went back to the compartment and I found three more boys.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter" a voice said "You're a bit politer or you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either…"

"What's going on here?" I interrupt.

"Nothing" a pale blonde answer." We were about to leave."

He leaves and I stare at Harry and the Ron. They both look angry.

"What happened here?" I ask.

"Draco Malfoy came here trying to convince me to be his friend" Harry said

So my little cousin is here. I wonder if he knows we are related. We never really talked about the rest of my family, but my aunt once showed me the family tree and Narcissa Malfoy was there. She is my aunt too, that makes Draco my cousin.

"That's pathetic" I mutter. "Even for him. He is desperate for attention."

I peered out of the window. It was getting train seems to be slowing down.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes'. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door to get out. A tiny, dark a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and I heard a familiar voice: "¡ First-years! ¡First-years over here!"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

Slipping and stumbling, we followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the , Ron and I were followed into the boat by Hermione and Harry. Then the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead.

They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle,until we reached a kind of under-ground shore. Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

_!Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction of the Harry Potter series. Lately I have been wondring what would it be like if Sirius had a son. First of all, English is not my first language, so if you find any spelling or grammar mistake let me know. Second, forgive my lack of language. Last but not least, I would to hear what you think so far. ¿Do I change something? Tell me what you think in a review._

_-Lobo Sombra_


	2. First Days

Chapter 2

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there.

"The first-years, Professor McGonagall" said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was so big. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right – the rest of the school must already be here. But Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall.

She welcomed us to Hogwarts and explained us the how things worked in the school: like winning points to your house or losing them. The Sorting Ceremony. I wonder how it would be like.

She asked us to form a line, and we walked into the Great Hall. Hundreds of faces were staring at us, making me feel more nervous. I looked as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

Everyone in the Hall was now staring at the hat. So I stared too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing. The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

According to the song we just have to put the hat on. That sounded pretty easy. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she said. "¡Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause…

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Black, Anthony"

I walked to the chair. Next second I was looking at the black inside of the hat. I waited. "Hmmmmm a Black huh?" Said a voice in my head. "Many Blacks have been in Slytherin for years, except one. Your father." The Sorting hat said. "_How does he know about my father? Maybe he chose him" _I thought. "Of course I chose him" the hat said. "He was different, just like you. So you better be…"

"GRYFFINDOR" the hat shouted and I felt a wave of relief. I was the first new Gryffindor. The table on the far left exploded with cheers. I took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. Percy the Prefect got up and shook my hand vigorously. I sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff I'd seen earlier. I hardly pay attention to the rest of the ceremony. I watched High Table properly. I the center sat, Albus Dumbledore. On the other side, I spotted Professor Snape. He has greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin. By the time I was looking at him, his eyes were already on me. We looked into each other eyes before he looked away. I glance at the table and notice that it's full of food. Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, and more, everything you could imagine was there.

I see my new classmates, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and some more. But I didn't know their names. I piled my plate with a bit of everything and began to eat. When I finish my dish the remaining food faded, leaving the plate sparkling. When everything disappears, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet. The Hall fell silent.

"First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

I didn't know if I should laugh or what. Is he serious? Only God knows. What is on the third-floor? What could cause us a painful death? Percy Weasley led all the first graders to Gryffindor's common room. One I got in the first grade boys room I feel asleep right when my head hit the pillow.

Next day our first class would be Potions or as I recently stared to call it "The Humiliation Class". Seems like Professor Snape hates us (Harry and I) for no apparent reason.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making" he began. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." I silently raised my eyebrow. He literally called us stupid kinds. I can't be the only one offended here. So the rest of this class I scowl.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

_"Draught of Living Death_" I thought to myself.

"I don't know, sir" said Harry

"Tut, tut – fame clearly isn't everything."

"What about you, Mr. Black?" he ask. "Do you know the answer?

"Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death" I say, pleased.

"Looks like someone opened the book during the summer"

It was the same every class. He would make some questions and he withdraws points if we didn't know them. It wasn't exactly a secret that he prefers Slytherin but I think it's too much. Anyway, he hates me, I hate him, our relationship could not be more perfect.

About two days later, I received a letter from my Aunt Dromeda.

_Dear Tony,_

_Congratulations on making it to Gryffindor. We are all very proud of you. I heard the Potter boy is there too. Don't scare him… too much. Nymphadora says hello. And please, don't get into trouble. Wish you the best,_

_Aunt Andromeda._

I smile at the letter. My aunt always concerned for my safety. I don't blame her. In my muggle school, my teachers would classify me as a troublemaker. My thoughts are interrupted by Seamus telling me we had broom practice. I ran out of the common room and down to the Quidditch pitch. Quidditch was my favorite thing to do in Hogwarts. It's always been a dream of mine to try out for the Gryffindor team and become a chaser but first years weren't allowed to have their own broom.

"Tony, over here" Harry yelled. I went to his right and noticed the Slytherins were there. I spotted Malfoy and he was smirking at us. I looked the other way and the professor appeared.

"I am Madame Hooch. What are we all waiting for? Stick your right hand over the broom and say *up*". Mine and Harry´s jumped to our hands at once, but it was one of the few that did it. Hermione's had simply rolled over on the ground and Ron's didn't move at all. Ron struggled a little more and then *BANG* his broom smacked right him in his face. Harry and I burst into laughing. "Shut up you two" Ron snarled, and we laugh harder.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard" said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning forwards slightly. On my whistle – three – two –"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips. He raised- twelve feet- twenty feet- and then he fell with a big thud. Madam Hooch ran over to him and mutters something about a broken wrist.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say *Quidditch*" she threaten. Draco reached to pick something off the ground. Neville's Remembrall.

"Give it here Draco" I say. "No" said Draco mounting his broom and started to hover. "Get down here" Harry yelled, mounting his broom.

"No Harry. You heard what Madam Hooch said" Hermione said. He ignored her and took off.

_"What an idiot_" I thought to myself. Everyone watched as Harry and Draco flew around. Then Draco threw the ball and without thinking Harry took off after it. He reached it and came back to the ground. They were cheering Harry, when Professor McGonagall asked Harry to follow her. "_I knew it"_ I said to myself. Ron and I waited for Harry in the common room when he burst through the portrait he told us he was the new seeker of the team. Our jaws dropped. How is that even possible?

"I must admit I am jealous" I say shaking his hand. "Yeah" Ron agreed.

A few hours later Ron, Harry, Hermione, and I headed back to the common room later than expected. We went through a dark corridor and realized we were on the third-floor area. Then a meow came behind us. "It's Flitch's cat. Run" Ron yelled. We ran down the hall until we crossed with a door but it was locked. I tried to open it but Hermione shoved me of the way. "Alohomora" she said, pointing her wand at the lock, there was a soft click and the door was unlocked.

We entered and waited to Flitch to leave. I hear Ron whimper and turned to see what was wrong. Standing before us an enormous three-headed dog. All of us screamed and ran out as it growled at us. I had never been so scared in my life. Finally, when we got to the common room Hermione started to scold us about how careless we were. I started to grin in the middle of her speech and the others imitate me. She mutters something like "you are impossible" and left to the girl's room. We go to our room and talked about how it would be like to be on the Gryffindor's team, until we can't open our eyes anymore.

_¡Yay! Another chapter is here. I started making beads and I don't think this fanfic will be longer than 10 chapters. The Sorcerer's Stone is way too small. In the meantime I was thinking: Shall I make this fic just for the first book or should I make a super long fic that includes the 7 books? Tell me what you think (about the story and the length situation) in a review. They are much appreciated._

_-Lobo Sombra _


	3. Halloween

Chapter 3

A moth has passed and everything is going great. Harry and I walked to Charms class on the day of Halloween. There were two seats left, one next to Seamus and the other next to Draco. I know that Harry never in a million years would sit next to Draco, so I took that place.

"Hello, Cygnus." he whispered. "How do you know second name?" I ask, surprised.

"Hello everyone. Today we will practice the spell Wingardium Leviosa. Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing" Professor Flitwick squeaked. I mentally groan curse my luck.

"Come on, Cygnus. We don't have all day." growled Draco. "First off all, how do you know my second name? Second, I am not your servant, do it yourself." I say coolly.

"You are my cousin" he whispers. "You thought I didn't know?" he asks matter-of-factly.

"I wish you didn't know" I mumble. "Have you told anyone we are related?"

"Of course not" he says, taken back. "Then, keep it that way. And, by the way, don't call me Cygnus." I say looking away.

"Ah, look everyone Ms. Granger has done it" yelled Professor Flitwick, clapping like a sea dog. Ron was in a very bad temper by the end of the class. I and a few more were capable of making the feather rose of the desk.

"It's Leviosa, not Leviosar" Ron said, mocking Hermione as we walked out of the class. "No wonder why she has got any friends". Then someone shoved Ron and ran off. Hermione. I caught a glimpse of her face – I saw that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you" Harry said.

"Really, Ron? You can be a dumbass sometimes. She was trying to help you. You should be a little more appreciative." I snapped, shoving him off my way, and then I run after her. I ended up following her to girl's bathroom. She entered and I stand still one the door. I knocked one, twice, but she didn't answer. I look around to make sure no one was in the hall, before I come in.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" I asked.

"Why is he so mean?" she cried.

"He isn't mean, he is just dumb. Don't listen to him" I told her.

"But he is right. I don't have any friends" she said, sobbing and falling to the ground. I sat down next to her and I put and arm around her shoulder, giving her a hug.

"I'm you friend, Harry is your friend, and so is Ron. He is just jealous he is not as smart as you. You know, man's ego doesn't let him admit you are better at, well… basically everything."

She smiles. I think it's the first time I see her smile, so I smile back. She hugs me back and whispers into my chest "Thank you". For the next two hours we sat, and talked about anything we could think of. Every time a girl came in, I shoot her a death glare and she would leave. Suddenly, my stomach growled and I stood up.

"Go to the feast. I will go in a minute; I need to wash my face and everything"

"Are you sure?" I asked. She nodded. I left and went to Great Hall, which was decorated with Halloween stuff.

"Tony, over here" the twins yelled, waving at me. I sat between George and Harry. I didn't even fill my plate with food when they started to tease me.

"So, Tony, as you may know this school is very small and we heard a gossip" George began. "And we wanted to know if it was true" Fred continued, who was sitting in front of me. "Is it true that you were on the girl's bathroom?" they asked at the same time. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes I was" I said. "Why?" Fred asked.

"He was probably making out with a girl" Ron says teasingly.

"Are you jealous that I already gave my first kiss and you haven't? I say, smirking. He started to babble something and everyone laughed. His face was redder than his hair. "No, I wasn't making out with a girl. I was comforting her." I say, and shot Ron a death glare.

"With your lips" George said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes, again.

I was about to answer when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table and gasped "'Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, '"lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first-years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now."

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid" said Ron.

"Maybe Peeves let it in for a Hallowe'en joke." I say. _"Some stupid joke" _I thought to myself. I remember when Hermione and I were joking a few hours ago… Hermione. She doesn't know about the Troll. I stop and start pushing students,slipped down a deserted side corridor and hurried off towards the girls' toilets. I had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind me. I saw Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view. "_He's heading for the third floor_" I thought "_Why_?" A picture comes to my mind. The three-headed dog standing on a trapdoor. "_What's is it guarding?_ I shake my head, there is no time for that now, and I have to save Hermione.

I hear a scream coming from the bathroom and I shout her name. Somehow Ron and Harry managed to follow me and opened the door. It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull,its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long. Hermione was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron.

"Ohhh, pea-brain"' yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. He turned its ugly snout towards Ron instead, giving me time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at us, I was trying to pull her towards the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror. I didn't know what to do so; I did the first thing that occurred to me: protect her body with mine; hoping my body stopped the impact of the club.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started towards Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: he took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Ron pulled out his own wand – not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: 'Wingardium Leviosa!' The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over – and dropped, on to its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

We were watching the scene before us, when sudden slamming and loud footsteps made us look up. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron,Ron looked at me, and I looked at Harry. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

A small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

I help Hermione to get on her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could deal with it on my own – you know, because I've read all about them." Harry and Ron look at her with disbelief, while I was fighting not to grin. Who would have thought that Hermione Granger was telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now"

'Well – in that case ...' said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of us. "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, Ron and I.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first-years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go"

From that moment on, Hermione Granger became our friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you think with a review._

_-Lobo Sombra._


	4. Quidditch

Chapter 4

As we entered November, the weather turned very cold, and the Quidditch season begun. I was so excited for Harry and still slightly jealous but, it didn't matter. My birthday is coming soon too.

The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the four of us were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and Hermione had conjured us up a bright blue fire which could be carried around in a jam jar. We were standing with our backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. He came limping toward us.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" It was Quidditch through the Ages. Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"You just made that rule up" I stated angrily. "You are just like your father, Black. Always budding into things that don't concern you" he says. "What do you know about my father?" I ask, surprised and angry. "I know more than you think" he says, before walking/ limping away. I sit down, in rage. _"Who does he thinks he is to talk about my father? I wish I had kicked him in the leg before he walked away"._

"Wonder what's wrong with his leg?" Harry says.

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," Ron said bitterly.

We walked back into the castle and up to the Gryffindor tower. We sat around when Harry muttered something about getting his book back. Hermione and I sat on a table while Ron played with Seamus Wizards Chess. I was still debating with myself if Ron was too good or Seamus too bad, but Ron was beating the crap out of him. Thirty minutes later, Harry came running through the portrait. "Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined us. "What's the matter?" In a low whisper, Harry told us what he'd seen.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween!"

"That's where he was going when we I saw him – he's after whatever it's guarding". They all looked at me with puzzled face, so I explained them that I saw him before we found Hermione on the bathroom.

"And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to create a distraction!" Harry continued.

"No – he wouldn't"' Hermione said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something" Ron snapped. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

We all went to bed with our heads buzzing with the same question.

Next morning everyone in Great Hall was excited for the first game of the season. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. I looked over at Harry who was playing with his food; his mind was somewhere else but here. It was probably the nerves. I don't blame him.

"Harry you need to eat something" Ron said. "I am not hungry" he mumbled.

"Harry, you need your strength" I said. "I am fine". "Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

By eleven o'clock the whole school was out in the stands around the Quidditch seats are raised high in the air. All the players mounted their brooms and then Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too –"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve – back to Johnson and – no, Slytherin have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes – Flint flying like an eagle up there – he's going to sco– no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle – that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and – OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger – Quaffle taken by Slytherin – that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger – sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which – nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes – she's really flying – dodges a speeding Bludger – the goalposts are ahead – come on, now, Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying. "Chaser Puceyducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell and speeds towards the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear

Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downwards after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too..Harry was faster than Higgs – he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead – he put on an extra spurt of speed – WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below – Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose and Harry's broom span off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating – "

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul – "

"Jordan, I'm warning you – "

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Harry spotted the snitch again and he went after her, until his broom started to go out of control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zig-zagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements which almost unseated him. Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession – Flint with the Quaffle – passes Spinnet – passes Bell – he was hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose – only joking, Professor – Slytherin score – oh no ..."

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game.

"It's Snape. Look at him" Hermione was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering non-stop under his breath.

"What should we do?" I ask

"Leave it to me" Hermione said and she left. Ron and looked at each other with confusion written all over our faces but, she already left, so we just shrug.

_"__Come on, Hermione_" I muttered desperately.

Two minutes later I could hear the professors screaming that Snape was on fire. I looked back to Harry who now could fly as God intended. He was about to catch the snitch when he fell into the ground. I watched as he stood up and looked like he wanted to vomit. Then the snitch popped out of his mouth. – Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

One hour later, we were at Hagrid's hut.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining. "We all saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do something like that?"

"I found out something about him," Harry told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding"

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah – he's mine – bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year – I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the –"

"Yes?"said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me any more," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione. The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student. Now, listen to me, all four of yeh – yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel –'"

"Aha!" said Harry. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

_Here we are again. So in ths chapter does not happen much, Anthony and the rest discover about Fluffy and Nicolas Flamel, and something even less important the _Quidditch match. I put the comments of Lee, bacuse they always make me laugh. I have read the books like five times (or more I lost the count after three) and I luagh, they never get old. Anyway, next chapter is _Christmas and Anthonys birthday, that chapter is full of surprises, I will not tell you more, I have said enough. Unitl next time._

_-Lobo Sombra _


	5. Christmas

It's been two weeks since our encounter with Hagrid, and we have been looking for Nicolas Flamel since but, we haven't found anything yet. The good news is that todays is my birthday.

I woke up Ron, Harry, the twins sang the "Happy Birthday" song. Very detuned, by the way. Ron and Harry give me a hand-knitted sweater in black (witty, I think Ron's mom did it), George gave me one sock and Fred gave me the other. On the common room, Hermione gave me a perfume.

"Seriously, Hermione? A perfume?" Ron asked.

"What? There is nothing wrong with it. Girls like guys that smell good" she says in a defensive tone.

"You are trying to say that I smell bad?" I tease her.

"No. You guys are very plaintive, next time I will give you a book".

"No, thanks. I have enough books at home. You can give Ron one, though. He needs them more than I.

"Huh? Hey!" he says, and we all start to laugh.

Down on Great Hall four different owls brought me a package each. One was of my aunt Dromeda. She gave me a watch.

_Dear Tony,_

_Anthony Brian Black, the first thing I ask you, not to get in trouble, and what's the first thing you do? Fight a troll. You could have died! We will talk about that when you come home. Anyway, happy birthday! You are growing so fast. I hope the watch is useful to you. Love you,_

_Aunt Dromeda._

Oh, boy. These are going to be interesting Christmas. Next gift is from Dora Tonks. It's just a letter.

_Tony,_

_Mom told me about the Troll. Nicely done. Don't tell mom I told you this. You should join the Aurors when you get older. By the way, happy birthday! I have you present at home, couldn't send it, it was too heavy. See you on Christmas_

_Nymphadora Tonks_

I wonder what she bought. What would be so heavy? I bet it's going to be awesome. A letter from my godfather, uncle Remus too.

_Tony,_

_Happy birthday! I am sad to say that the full moon falls on Christmas so I won't be able to see you. Have nice holidays and don't drive you aunt crazy._

_Remus_

_PD: I will send you your gift when Christmas gets closer._

I am a little sad beacuse I cant see Uncle Remus for Christmas but I know it's for the best. The next gift is a box with a little note. "_Enjoy yourself, Draco." _This is a surprise. Why Draco would give me a gift? I open the box and find a different type of candies. I look at the Slytherin table, he is there joking and laughing with his bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle, he is totally ignoring me. Like he sensed that I was looking at him, he directed his gaze towards me. I raised my eyebrow asking him a silent question. He just shrugged at me. What is that supposed to mean? I point the door with my head and he nods. I have waited ten minutes when he finally decides to show up.

"Why?" I ask him, when he is close enough.

"Why, what?" he ask, innocently

"The candies. Why?" I say, beginning to despair.

"It was a happy birthday present. I asked my father to buy them, especially for you."

"Does your father know they were for me?"

"Of course not, he would have killed I had told him I wanted to give you a birthday present. I have strict order of staying away from you. He thinks you are a blood traitor and he told me our family was better than yours."

"Why did you disobey?" I ask, confused and surprised.

"Because, you are my cousin. All my life I thought I was alone, I had no one to play with, no on to talk to, besides my parents. I know our families don't like each other but that doesn't mean we have to let that affect us."

"We can be friends if that is what you mean".

"Friends/ Cousins. Deal?" He says offering me his hand.

"Deal" I say taking his hand and shake it. "The only thing is that I don't want people to know we are friends, I have a reputation to keep" he says and I roll my eyes. "Sure" I smile and he smiles back before coming Great Hall in again.

One month later I was carrying my trunk ready to go home. Hermione was leaving too, she was visiting her parents. "Promise you will keep looking on Nicolas Flamel." she said to Ron and Harry. They promised they will but I am not so sure. I am almost sure they will forget.

Days later I am sitting on the dining table with my aunt, uncle and Tonks. After we ate turkey and pasta, it was gift time. My aunt gave me a football ball and Tonks gave me a German shepherd. She was two months old. Now I see why she couldn't send it on an owl.

"Her name is Shadow" Tonks told me.

"Why is Shadow?" I asked her as I scratched the belly of my new fury friend.

"Because he will follow you everywhere, like a shadow. I hope you take care of her."

"Well, I as long as I am on vacation I will"

"Oh, no. That dog isn't staying here. You will take it with you." My aunt interrupted.

"I can't take it to Hogwarts. It's forbidden."

"Don't worry about that, I already talked to Dumbledore. I obtained the special permission for pets." she continued.

"But, what if he bites someone or what if he poops on the middle of the common room"

"She is trained" Tonks explained me. "She won't do that any of that".

"And how do I feed her?"

"I will send you a bag of dog kibble each month. You see? We got everything in order".

"All right"

Next morning I wake up by something licking me check. I open my eyes and see Shadow a few inches away from my face. "Hello, buddy" I say, while scratching his ear. He barks, happily and then barks at the window. I change my pajamas, and approach to the window. I see a grey owl with a letter. I open my window and let it come in. The owl leaves the letter in my desk, and stays there, waiting for me to write something. It was from… my father. He would always write on Christmas to congratulate me on my birthday and to wish me a happy holiday.

_To my dear Brian,_

_I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas and happy birthday. You are twelve now, time passes so fast. I remember when you were a baby and held you in my arms for the first time, I will never forget that moment. Hopefully one of these you will forgive me for leaving you. I wish I could see you again. I feel we will see each other again soon. Sincerely,_

_Siruis Black._

_P.S.: I hope you aunt is not stingy with you gift._

I read the letter at least twice when I felt tears down my cheeks. I know the letter is coming but it still manages to get me every time. This is the only day of the year I cry, 364 days of the year I am strong and only today I allow myself to be weak. Since I learned to write I always send him a letter, I tell him what he missed that year. I take a piece of paper and start to write.

_Dad,_

_You don't have to ask for forgiveness, I don't blame you, and I know that going to Azkaban was not your choice. Promise you will be strong, for me, I am being strong for you. I can't wait to see you; I know we will see each other again._

_This is my first year on Hogwarts. I am Gryffindor, just like you were; I hope you are proud of me. I have new friends: Harry, Ron and Hermione. They are nice people, easy to talk to and we can have some fun. Harry is on the Quidditch team, Hermione is incredibly smart and Ron… well, he is great player of Wizard Chess. On Halloween we fought a Troll in the girl's toilets. I know it sound weird, but is the truth, everyone was impressed that four kids managed to knock out a twelve foot monster. I also met my cousin Draco Malfoy. He is not bad kid he is just different. We have decided to put our family issues apart and be friends. Let's see how that turns out._

_All the classes are interesting, except for Potions, Professor Snape dedicates the class to make my life miserable. He doesn't like me, I don't know why. Do you know him? He told he knew you. Where you together in school or something?_

_For my birthday, my aunt gave me a watch. Harry and Ron gave me a black sweater (I am almost sure, Ron's mom knitted). Fred and George (Ron's brothers, they are twins) gave me a pair of socks. Hermione gave me a perfume. I don't know why, she told me that girls like that boys smell good. I am going to try it. Finally, Tonks gave a German shepherd. Her name is Shadow. She is cute, she is actually watching me how I write you this letter. I am training her, to make some tricks. I think that is everything. Remember you are still my father and I love you no matter what. Your son,_

_ A. Brian_

I read the letter and another round of tears come to my cheeks. I wish I could tell him all of this face to face. I somehow manage to give the letter to the owl and go to bed again.

_Some cousin time! I never thought of Draco as a bad guy, he was raised differently that's all. All the choices he made were because he was afraid or because he didn't want to disappoint his family. I don't blame him._

_ Second, guys who are reading this, follow Hermione's advice: girls DO like guys that smell good. You will see it works._

_Third, that's right ladies and gentlemen: boys cry too. You know we all think they don't have feelings; the fact is that they don't show them, which is different. Just because a boy cries doesn't mean he is gay or something like that, they have feeling just like everyone else. _

_And last. Have you ever wondered what did Dumbledore saw in the mirror of Erised? I mean, its obvious he is lying to Harry. I always thought he maybe saw children, he never mentions a wife or girlfriend, or maybe he saw his family together, because you know his father was sent to Azkaban, his mother and sister died, and he never had a good relationship with his older brother. Maybe he wanted a happy family._

_ Review and tell me what you think._

_-Lobo sombra._


	6. Detention with Hagrid

Chapter 7

After Hermione and I came back, she scolds Harry and Ron for not being able to find information about Nicolas Flamel. Everyone liked was surprised to see Shadow with me, but they liked her. One day we were in the common room joking and petting Shadow while I was eating chocolate frogs.

"God, Dumbledore again, I have like six of this" I said and tossed the card in Harry's direction. It him in the face making me grin. He glared at me and picked it up.

"I have Dumbledore too, it's the first one I ever had" Harry gasped. "What?" Ron asked.

"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here – listen to this: "Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd got back the marks for our very first piece of homework.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry, Ron and I barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself. At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

"The what?" said Harry and Ron. I roll my eyes.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look – read that, there." She pushed the book towards them, and Harry and Ron read:

_The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal._

_There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera-lover. Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)._

"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it. That's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you ever dying" I said. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

A couple weeks later we were studying in the library.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. I was looking up 'Dittany' in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, so didn't look up until I heard Harry say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher's St–"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh? Listen – come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'posed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh –'" He said and he left.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" I asked

"I'm going to see what section he was in," Ron said.

"Dragons!" he whispered when he came back. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide_."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Harry.

"But it's against our laws" I said.

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

When we knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, we were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called, "Who is it?" before he let us in and then shut the door quickly behind them.

It was stiflingly hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which we refused. We tried to convince Hagrid to tells us what was guarding the stone besides Fluffy but, he went on and on about how he didn't know and we knew too much, and that all teaches, including Snape, were protecting the stone and bla bla bla. He wasn't of any help.

"Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling." I said trying to fan myself with my hand.

"Can't, sorry," said Hagrid. We noticed him glance at the fire. We all looked at it, too.

"Hagrid – what's that?"

But I already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard. "That's – er ..."

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

'But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?' said Hermione.

"Well, I've been doin' some readin" Hagrid said. "Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour".

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said. The egg started to hatch and a dragon came back.

"Thats a Norwegian Ridgeback, if I am not mistaken" I say. "They are very rare"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face – he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains – it's a kid – he's runnin' back up ter the school."

I bolted to the door and looked out. It's Malfoy. I ran out of the hut and started to follow Draco. He wasn't very fast so when I was close enough I tackled him to the ground.

"That hurts Brian, what do you think you are doing?" Draco gasped.

"Why did you follow us? I snarled.

"Students out of bed" I hear someone yell. I lift my head and see no other than Filch.

Filch took us down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where we sat and waited without saying a word to each other. I couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time.

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Black, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All five of you will receive detentions – yes, you too, Mr. Malfoy, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous. Your detention will be served at eleven tonight. Meet Mr. Filch back here in two hours. All of you." She hisses and sends all of us back to our common rooms.

Two hours later we go dressed for our detention. Filch led us back to Hagrid's hut. I was very confused. Why would they send us back here? Hagrid was waiting for us outside the hut with his crossbow.

"Wipe off that smile of yours" Filch snapped at Harry. "You are going into the forest."

At this, Hermione let out a little moan and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The Forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night – there are all sorts of things in there – werewolves, I heard."

'I'll be back at dawn,' said Filch, "for what's left of them." he added nastily, and he turned and started back towards the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

He led usto the very edge of the Forest. Holding his lamp up. "Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its 're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions" he said."So me, Harry and Hermione, will go one way an' Draco, Ron and Tony will go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks. Okay? Let's go."

We walked through the forest and that's when we saw the unicorn. Some hoddie man was drinking his blood, it looked pretty disgusting. Draco screamed and runs away with Ron a few feet behind him. Then the figure turned to me. He was getting closer, something caught his attention and he looked over the right and escaped. When Hagrid arrived there was nothing.

_Hi There! We are close to the end. So, I got some reviews sort of complaining but not exactly, its more like telling me about the name "Brian" is not appropriate and it is one of Dumbledore middle names (I had not realised). Any way in another review someone told me almost all Black family members have a "star" name. My point is, that I am changig the name "Brian" for a "star" name. I have some options and I would like to know what you think. My options are:_

_1.-Anthony Canopus Black_  
_2.-Anthony Miram Black_  
_3.- Anthony Rigel Black_

_We can do a poll with the names, and the one which gets more votes will win. Guys, this is really important for me, It will just take five minutes to answer. Please? _

_-Lobo Sombra_


	7. The Stone

Chapter 7

One day after exams, Hemrione and I were discussing about how to teach Shadow some trick when Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had gone white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," Harry said, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you on about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds towards the Forest, didn't answer.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling.

"We're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?" Harry asked

'Dunno,' said Hagrid casually, 'he wouldn' take his cloak off.'

He saw the four of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head – that's one of the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

'What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?'

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember.

"Yeah ... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here ... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after ... so I told him ... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon ... an' then ... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks ... Let's see ... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted ... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home ... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy ..."

"And did he – did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked trying to keep his voice calm.

"Well – yeah – how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep –"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey – where're yeh goin'?"

We didn't speak to each other, until we arrive the Entrance Hall.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore." said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak – it must've been easy once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.

"We'll just have to…" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you three doing inside?"

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

_"__Now what?"_ I thought.

"It's sort of secret," I said, but I wished at once I hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time –"

"But this is important." Harry insisted.

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor – it's about the Philosopher's Stone –"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms but she didn't pick them up.

"How do you know –?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think – I know – that Sn– that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor –"

"Good afternoon" she said picking up her books and leaving.

"Its tonight" Harry said." Snape is going through the trapdoor tonight."

"What are we going to do?" Hermione cries.

"Isn't it obvious? We make sure Snape doesn't take the stone" I say matter-of-factly.

"But how?" Ron asks

Later that night, after dinner, we are sitting on the common room nervously. We waited everyone to go to sleep before taking Harrys invisible cloak out. We were about to leave when Neville came out of the shadows and stood in front of us.

"You are not sneaking, are you?" he asked. "You're going out again."

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"Neville" I say, taking a step forward. "Get out of our way or someone can get hurt"

"No, I'm not moving. I am not afraid of you".

"I'm sorry, Neville. Petrificus Totalus"

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.

A few minutes later, we were there, outside the third-floor corridor – and the door was already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly. "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Harry pushed the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," I said. "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry.

"Well, here goes ..."

Harry put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased – it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"So, who wants to go first?" Ron asks.

"I will go" I say. He opens the trapdoor and I jump. I sat up and felt around, my eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though I was sitting on some sort of plant.

"It's OK!" I called up to the light the size of a postage stamp which was the open trapdoor. "It's a soft landing, you can jump!" Hermione followed straight away. She landed sprawled next to me. Ron and Harry landed a few feet away.

"Oh no" I hear Hermione say. "Devils Snare"

I knew what she meant. The big black plant started to wrap itself around me and the rest.

"I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare ... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp –"

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes – of course – but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In matter of seconds I could feel it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," I said as I joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off my face.

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway which was the only way on. We continued to walk until we heard some strange noise.

"Do you hear something?" Ron whispered.

"Sounds like wings to me" I say.

We reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door. We reached the door and pulled, it was locked.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

I watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering - glittering?

"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys -look carefully. So that must mean..." he looked around the chamber whilethe other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... yes - look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

Harry and I each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring intothe midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.

"That one!" he called to the others. "That big one - there - no, there- with bright blue wings - the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Tony, you from above and I will stay below. Ready? Now"

I dived and Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned - it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. We were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we - er - have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the rest of us.

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you next to him instead of that castle."

"What about us?" I ask

"We are going to be a knight," said Ron.

We waited until the withe piece moved. Soon, pieces were being smashed and thrown apart. Ron tried his best to make sure, none of us get hurt. One piece flew past my head, making me a big deep cut on the forehead.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think let me think..."

The white queen turned her blank face toward me.

"Yes..." said I softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."

"No" the three of them shouted.

"There has to be another way, just give me time to think" Ron insisted.

"Ron, we don't have time. Look, if you don't hurry up, Snape will already have the Stone. Just tell me what to do"

"Take a step forward" He whispered.

I stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck me hard across the head with her stone arm.

The last thing I hear is Hermione's screams before the world is swallowed by darkness

_One more chapter and we arrive to the end. I havent got anything to say, except to ask you to vote for the name (read previous chapter for more information). Thank you for all your love and support._

_-Lobo Sombra_


	8. Time to go home

Chapter 8

I woke up and find myself in the hospital wing. I blink until my eyes adjust to the light. I try to touch my forehead, but I can't my arms are too heavy. The face of Hermione comes into my view.

"Hey" she said softly, holding my hand.

"Hey" I say. I stare at her or a few moments. Then I remembered. The Stone.

"The Stone! What happened? Did Snape get it?"

"Calm yourself, I will tell you everything but first you have to relax or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."

I swallowed, took a deep breath and looked around. I was lying in a bed with white linen sheets and next to me was Harry. He looked unconscious or at least asleep. I turn around and see Hermione looking at me. She looks away with a slight blush. I choose to ignore it.

"How long have I been in here?" I ask

"One day"

"What happened?

She explained me that Ron took me to the hospital wing (only God knows how he managed to drag me through the trapdoor) while she and Harry figured the last task. After that she went to the owlery to send a letter to Dumbledore, who she found in the middle of the way, and saved Harry. Hours later Dumbledore said to Hermione and Ron that Voldemort had been living off Quirrel's strength, tried to take the stone and kill Harry.

I stayed one more day because Madam Pomfrey wanted to make sure my bones we okay and bla bla bla. I woke the next day and find Dumbledore talking to a recently awake Harry. Once he saw I was awake too he suggested us to go to end-of-year feast.

Harry and I made our way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. We had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing-about, insisting on giving him one last check-up, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colours of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the House Cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table. We take our seats and wait for Dumbledore speech.

"What a year it has been!..." he starts.

"He hasn't the slightest idea" I mumble under my breath.

"…Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were ... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts. Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with 312 points, in third, Hufflepuff with 352,Ravenclaw have 426 and Slytherin, 472.

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. I could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes ..."

"First – to Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house 40 points.

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other Prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

"Second – to Mr. Anthony Black for great flying and for willing make sacrifices, even they can cost you your life; I award him with 40 points"

"Third – to Miss Hermione Granger ... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house 40 points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; I strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves – we were a hundred points up.

"Fourth – to Mr. Harry Potter ..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "... for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 40 points"

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had 472 points – exactly the same as Slytherin. They had drawn for the House Cup – if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won as much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry still cheering nudged me in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind curse put on him.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanishing and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible forced smile.

This is one the many nights here I will never forget. Hopefully life would get back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

I had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, came top of the year. Surprisingly, I came third, what made Ron and Harry make snide comments about how studious I am. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.

And suddenly, our wardrobes were empty, our trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; we were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans as we sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. Wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "the three of you – I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks,"said Harry. 'I'll need something to look forward to.'

People jostled them as they moved forwards towards the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," I said, grinning at him.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," Harry said.

All of us passed through the gateway together.

"There he is, Mum, there he is, look!"

It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mum! I can see –"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." said the mother. They walked over to us.

"Busy year?" she asked us.

"Very," said Harry "Thanks for the fudge and the jumper, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear. You must be Anthony."

"That's right Madam, nice to meet you."

"Oh, Ron didn't mention in his letter you were very polite" she said. "Ron you should get together some more with this kid, maybe you could learn some manners."

"I don't need a manner class." Ron mutters. Everyone chuckles and Ginny giggles. I look at her and smile. She shyly smiles back at me.

"I want to thank you for the sweater. Ron gave it to me for my birthday and I figured you knitted it."

"You're welcome, my dear".

"Ready, are you?"

It was Harry's uncle, Vernon; it's his name I think.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Harry's uncle. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

Harry hung back for a last word with us.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have – er – a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after his Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and we were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer ..."

Then I felt a tap on my shoulders and turned around.

"Are you ready to come home?" Tonks asks me. I nod. "How was your first year?"

"Interesting, definitely."

"Give me all details" she says, while we walk to the car.

"Well, first of all…"

_This is the end... of this chapter. I decided to keep the story in this fanfcition, instead af doing many. I know Shadow is not a great character, but believe me she is important later in the story, specially in the Prisioner of Azkaban. What do you think? You liked the story? I hope so. Leave a review with your thoughts so far. Dont be afraid i dont bite._

_-Lobo Sombra_


	9. Rescue Mission

**Chamber of secrets**

Chapter 9

I hear a soft knock on my door. I groan and roll on my bed. The knock becomes louder and louder. Why would someone bother me so early? I try to ignore the noise coming from my door.

"Go away. Let me sleep" I mutter. "Anthony Cygnus Black, get you lazy ass out of bed" I hear my aunt Dromeda shout. I once again, ignore it continue sleeping.

"Do you think he will wake up? I hear a male voice. Its sounds like George…

"He definitely isn't a light sleeper." Another voice says. Fred?

"Well, desperate cases call for desperate measures" I hear Ron say. Ron? Why is he here? What desperate measure? My question is answered a few seconds later, when someone dumped a bucket of cold water on me.

"What the….?" I shout and fall out of my bed. I hear three people laughing and my suspicions are confirmed, the Weasley's are here.

"What was that for?" I ask angrily while standing up and shaking the water out of my hair.

"You need to get up pack your things. I send you a letter saying that we would pick you up and take you to our house for a week. Remember? That would be a no" Ron tells me.

"Shaking me would have done the job too." I hissed. All of them just roll their eyes.

"Your room is nice." Fred says walking around looking at everything in my room.

"Thanks."

As I was packing I came across some letter I had received all over the summer. Some from Hermione, Ron and even from Fred and George, but none of Harry. It was odd, because he promised he would write. Once my trunk was packed I ran downstairs not wanting to wait much longer.

"Tony here is your vault key" My aunt Dromeda says." The Weasley's will take you to the Diagon Alley to buy your new school materials. I love you. I'll write you soon and for the love of God, behave." She tells me giving me a big hug then led me to the fireplace.

Traveling with Red flu isn't my favorite way to transport, but when the time passes you get used to the sensation. I somehow manage to stay up when I landed in the Waesley's home.

"Tony, dear! How wonderful to see you again." says Mrs. Waesley running in the room and pulling me into a hug. What I like about this family is that they make you feel like you are home.

"It's great to see you too" I say hugging her back.

"You will be staying in Ron's room." she says. "Fred be a nice host a take Tony's trunk to Ronald's room."

"Right" he mumbled, taking my trunk and disappearing from my view.

Over the next few days we had a great time. I asked Ron is he had news from Harry and he told he hadn't written back to him or Hermione.

"I've asked him to come over so many times and not even one answer." Ron told me one day at dinner. Meanwhile Mr. Weasley walked through the back door.

"Harry just received a letter for using underage magic" he said. With Mr. Weasley working for the Ministry I wouldn't be surprised his is telling the truth. I look at Ron.

"What was he thinking? He knows we are not allowed to use magic" Ron says.

"Maybe he had too much fun with his cousin" I say.

"Something doesn't look right here. We need to talk to him or see him"

"See who?" George asked while he and Fred sat on the table.

"Harry. We think something is wrong." Ron said.

After a little bit, the twins get the same mischievous smiles on their faces. "We know what to do" they say in unison. They told us the plan and we agreed to meet at the shed at 10. When we knew for sure that everyone was sleeping, I changed my pajamas for some jeans, a t-shirt and trainers.

"Ready?" George asked after all of us were there. I nodded and Fred opened the driver side and got in. George was in the passenger seat and Ron and I in the back. He turned on the car and started to fly. After a hour or so, we arrived to a muggle town.

"That one. The one of the window with the bars." Ron said pointing to a house. Fred pulled up next to the window and we saw Harry looking at us. Literally his mouth was fell open, when he saw us.

"What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and said you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles -"

"It wasn't me - and how did he know?"

"He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school -"

"You should talk," said Harry, staring at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this. It's dad's, we didn't enchant it."

"Tie that around the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Harry.

"If the Dursleys's wake up, I'm dead," said Harry as he tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car.

"Don't worry," said Fred, "and stand back."

The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air.

"Get in," I said.

"But all my Hogwarts stuff - my wand - my broomstick -"

"Where is it?"

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and I can't get out of this room -"

"No problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Harry."

Fred and George climbed catlike through the window into Harry's room. You had to hand it to them, thought Harry, as George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock.

"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow."

There was a small click and the door swung open.

"So - we'll get your trunk - you grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Tony," whispered George.

"Watch out for the bottom stair - it creaks," Harry whispered back as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing.

Harry dashed around his room, collecting his things and passing them out of the window to me. Then he went to help Fred and George heave his trunk up the stairs. Harry heard Uncle Vernon cough. At last, panting, they reached the landing, and then carried the trunk through Harry's room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron and I, and Harry and George pushed from the bedroom side. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window. As Harry climbed onto the windows there came a sudden loud screech from behind him, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!"

"I've forgotten Hedwig!"

Harry tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on – he snatched up Hedwig's cage, dashed to the window, and passed it out to Ron. He was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door and it crashed open.

For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle. All of us seized Harry's arms and pulled as hard as we could.

But we gave a gigantic tug and Harry's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp - Harry was in the car - he'd slammed the door shut

"Put your foot down, Fred!" I yelled and the car shot suddenly toward the moon. Harry was free finally.

"So - what's the story, Harry?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?"

Harry told them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given Harry and the fiasco of the violet pudding.

"Well, that was strange" I say. "Happy birthday, by the way." He said thanks. Fred brought the car lower, until we had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard.

"It's not much," said Ron.

"I think its brilliant," said Harry happily.

"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast Then, Ron and Tony, you come bounding downstairs going, `Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car."

"Right," said Ron and I at unison. "Come on, Harry, I sleep at the - at the top…" Ron continued.

Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on the house. The four of us wheeled . Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger ready to attack.

"Oh, dear," said George.

Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next.

"So, "she said.

"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.

"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to -"

"Beds empty! No note! Car gone - could have crashed - out of my mind with worry - you wait until your father gets home." She yelled and then she saw Harry.

"I'm very pleased to see you, Harry, dear, of course I am not mad at you " she said. "And Tony, I will have to send a letter to Andromeda. She needs to know about this."

"Yes, Madam" I mutter. We walked to the kitchen and started eating.

"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred.

"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"They were starving him, Mum!" said George.

"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him, like he was a baby. At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again.

"Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."

"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry," Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. Soon, Mr. Weasley came for breakfast and then our letter arrived with the new material for school. Nothing was said until all five plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time.

"Blimey, I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and -"

"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. All of you're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again -"

"Oh, Mum -" Ron said.

"You can go up to bed, dear," she added to Harry. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car -"

Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys and I slouched outside with Harry behind us. The Weasleys thought Harry and I how to de-gnome the garden and after an hour we were done. We were walking home when a feel a sharp pain in my hand.

"Ouch!" I said. "I think one bite me." Fred suggested me to clean the wound so I asked where the first aid kit was and he said he didn't know. I entered the house looking for Mrs. Weasley but I found someone else. Ginny.

"Hey" I said. "Do you know where the first aid kit is?" She nodded. "Could you show me where it is?" She nodded again. I followed her and took the kit.

"Do you need help?" she whispered. I turn to see her, smile and nod. She examined my wound and cleaned it up for me and bandaged it. We look at each other eyes for a moment until she breaks the connection.

"Feel better?" She asks. I nod. She smiles and walks away. I suddenly feel very sad, I wish she had stayed. Ifeel the need to talk to her, to know more about her. Was I beginning to like Ginny Weasley? Maybe, and I see nothing wrong with that.

_So, here we are again. I have problem with the couples. There is not going to be romance until later in the story, but I have to start thinking abou this. If I put Tony with Ginny I will have to change Harry´s couple and if I put Tony with Hermione I will have to change Ron´s. So... what do you think: Ginny or Hermione?_

_-Lobo Sombra _


	10. Back to Hogwarts

Chapter 10

Mrs. Weasley woke us all early the following Wednesday. We are going to Diagon Alley to buy our school material. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, we pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.

"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today... Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!"

And she offered him the flowerpot. Harry stared.

"W-what am I supposed to do?" he stammered.

"He's never traveled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, Harry, I forgot."

"He'll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Harry, watch us first."

He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames. With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.

"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Harry as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot.

"The right what?" said Harry nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too.

"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly -"

"He'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasley.

Harry took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. He took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward.

"D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed. And he vanished. Let's hope he did it right. I repeat the process and found myself in the alley. A few minutes later, all the Weasley and I are there but Harry is nowhere to be found. After 30 minutes of search, Hagrid brought him to us. He ended in the Knockturn Alley. Hermione found us in the middle of this mess.

After finding Harry, all of us went to Gringotts to take money out of our vaults. This was a little uncomfortable because, while Harry´s and I´s vault where full, the Weasleys had few coins. I was going to offer them money but I didn't in the last moment, I assumed that they could be a bit offended by my suggestion.

Once our bags were full of money we went to Flourish and Blotts to buy our books. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. Everyone loves him; no matter their age, ladies fall at his feet. However, I think he is an arrogant, annoying, good for nothing person. There is no way he had done everything he says, at least not alone.

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet -"

"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it. Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up and saw Ron then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry's arm, and pulled him to the front. It was pretty obvious that Harry found the situation awkward but, no one seemed to care.

"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

He finally lets Harry go, he gives him another present. The entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart collection. After that we waited in the edge of the room for Mrs. Weasley to get a signed book.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter? Famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny.

"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books. "Hello, Cygnus." I just nodded. No one knew I was related to the Malfoys and I want to keep it that way as long as I can.

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."

Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.

"It's enough, Draco" I say, in harsh tone. He turns to looks at me straight in the eye and looks away.

"How dare talk to my son that way. Ahhh it's you, Black." Mr. Malfoy said, coming up from behind of Draco, looking at me. "I am not surprised to see you with the Weasleys." I rolled my eyes and acted like he wasn't here.

"Well, well, it's Lucius Malfoy "Mr. Weasley said.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids... I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley ... and I thought your family could sink no lower. Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you -" he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.

After that we took the Floo powder back to Ron's house.

The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for my liking. We were all having a great time. I was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at the Burrow had been one of the happiest of my life.

The day we had to go to Kings Cross was a big chaos. We were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car.

When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat, where Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Percy and I were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles do know more than we give them credit for, don't they?" She and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"

We reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station. I remember last year I was afraid to crash with the wall, how innocent I was. That was nothing compared to our adventures inside of Hogwarts.

"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier.

Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed. Mrs. Weasley took Ginny and only Harry, Ron and I were left. We started to run to the wall when suddenly *PUM* the three of us smashed into the wall. All our things were sprawled in the floor around us and a bruise was forming in my arm.

"What in blazes do you think you're doing?" A guard nearby yelled at us. "Lost control of the trolley," Harry gasped, clutching his ribs as he got up.

"Why can't we get through?" I asked.

"I dunno -" Harry said.

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself – "

The clock chimed 11 times.

"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us?" Harry and I shrugged. We walked back to where the Ford was parked. The three of us get the same mischievous smile at the same time.

Ron unlocked the cavernous trunk with a series of taps from his wand. We heaved our luggage back in, put Hedwig on the back seat, and got into the front. I shared the back seat with Hedwig. The next thing I know it's that we are flying.

"Ron, muggles aren't used to see flying cars" Harry yelled.

"Right" he said, pushing some silver button and the whole vanished from the view from the muggles. After flying the car for a while it reappeared.

"Uh-oh," said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty -"

"Dip back down again - quickly – We need to find the train." I say.

"I can see it!" Harry yelled. "Right ahead - there!"

The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below us like a scarlet snake. We made regular checks on the train as they flew farther and farther north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. Several uneventful hours later, Hogwarts came into our view. I let a sigh of relief until I hear the car making strange noises and we started to lose height. The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall.

"Noooooo!" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around; we missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time.

Ron let go of the steering wheel completely and pulled his wand out of his back pocket.

"STOP! STOP!" he yelled, whacking the dashboard and the windshield, but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up toward us.

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Harry bellowed, lunging for the steering wheel, but too late.

CRUNCH.

With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Ron let out a low, despairing groan.

"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently.

"My wand," said Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand -"

"Be thankful it wasn't your neck" I state.

At that very moment, something hit his side of the car with the force of a charging bull, sending him lurching sideways Hedwig, just as an equally heavy blow hit the roof.

"What's happen -?" I ask.

"It's the tree" Harry yelled.

We all tried to get out of the car but, of course, it was useless. The tree kept attacking us and we were all getting scratched up. I didn't stop until it pushed the car to the ground.

"Ron. Drive." Harry and I yelled. And the car shot backward; the tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it almost ripped itself up, lashing out at them as they sped out of reach.

"That," panted Ron, "was close"

With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open and I felt my seat tip sideways. Now I was lying in the damp ground. Loud thuds told me that the car was ejecting their luggage from the trunk; Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open; she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle.

Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rear lights blazing angrily.

"Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand.

"Dad'll kill me!"

"Come on," said Harry wearily, "we'd better get up to the school."

"I think the feast's already started," said Ron, dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey - come and look - it's the Sorting!"

I hurried over and, all of us peered in at the Great Hall.

"Can you believe our luck?" said Ron miserably.

"Luck?" Of all the trees in Hogwarts we had to hit the one that hits back" I mumbled.

Innumerable candles were hovering in midair over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars.

Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, Harry saw a long line of scared-looking first year's fiIing into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers.

A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head. My eyes wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candle light. Several seats along, I saw the "famous" Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.

"Hang on. . . "Harry muttered. "There's an empty chair at the staff table... Where's Snape?"

"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.

"Maybe he's left," I say, "because he missed out on the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"

"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him -"

"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind us, "he's waiting to hear why you three didn't arrive on the school train."

I gulped. _"Oh, dear. We are in big trouble." _I thought to myself.


	11. Expelled?

Chapter 11

The three of us spun around. There, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze stood Severus Snape. He was smiling. Snape, the potion master that hates everyone and everything, was smiling. But it wasn't a normal smile. It was an evil smile that told us we were in deep trouble.

"Follow me," said Snape.

Not daring even to look at each other, we followed Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. A delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase that led into the dungeons.

"In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing.

We entered Snape's office, shivering. Snape closed the door and turned to look at us.

"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Harry Potter and his faithful friends Black and Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?"

"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it -"Harry started.

"Silence!" said Snape coldly.

"You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline of the Daily Prophet: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES. He began to read aloud: "Two Muggles in London convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower ... at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing ... Mr. Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police ... Six or seven Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he said, looking up at Ron and smiling still more nastily. "Dear, dear ... his own son. . . "

"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on.

"That tree did more damage to us than we -" I blurted out.

"Silence!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here."

If Snape had gone to fetch Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, we were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.

Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. She raised her wand the moment she entered; Harry and Ron both flinched, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.

"Sit," she said, and we backed into chairs by the fire.

"Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously. Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through.

"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Harry.

"I - I didn't think -"

"That," said Professor McGonagall "is obvious."

There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, opened it. There stood the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.

There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."

It would have been better if he had shouted. I hated the disappointment in his voice. Harry explained this time, looking in at his knees. . When Harry had finished, he merely continued to peer at us through his spectacles.

"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.

"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon the three of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."

Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled. _"Ha-ha, in your face" _I thought. He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree - surely acts of this nature -"

"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these boys' punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility."

"I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking tart I want to sample -"

Snape shot a look of pure venom at us as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving Harry, Ron and I alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing us like a wrathful eagle.

Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, three silver goblets, and a jug of-iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.

"You three will get a detention. You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory," she said. "I must also return to the feast."

When we had eaten as many sandwiches as we could (the plate kept refilling itself) we rose and left the office, treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. At last we reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said as they approached.

"Er -" said Harry, looking at us. I shrugged and Ron shook his head.

We didn't know the new year's password, not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately; we heard hurrying feet behind us and turned to see Hermione dashing toward us.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors -someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car."

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry assured her.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall.

"Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."

"It's `wattlebird,"' said Hermione impatiently.

The portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for us to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione and I to scramble in after them. Thank God they didn't grab me.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people will be talking about that one for years -"

Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"

Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.

"'Night," I called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's. Her face softened, when she saw me.

"Are you all right?" she asked, sounding really worried.

"Yes, why?" I say.

"You got a big cut here" she tells me, touching my forehead. "It is still bleeding; you should go to the hospital wig."

"Hermione, I am okay."

"Are you sure?" she says, dropping her arm.

"Completely" I assure her with a smile. She doesn't look convinced but, ends up smiling me back. She waves me goodbye and heads to the girls dormitory. I follow Harry´s and Ron's example and go to our dormitory and go to sleep.

Next day, started to go downhill from breakfast in the Great Hall. The four long house tables were laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, beneath the enchanted ceiling. I sat down next to Hermione, who had her copy of Voyages with Vampires propped open against a milk jug. There was a slight stiffness in the way she said "Morning," which told me that she was still disapproving of the way we had arrived. Neville, on the other hand, greeted us cheerfully.

"Mail's due any minute - I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot."

There was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers. I got a letter too.

"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.

"Oh, no -" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.

"It's not that - it's that."

Ron was pointing at the red envelope.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"She's - she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" - he gulped - "it was horrible."

"What's a howler?" Harry asked, confused.

"Oh, you better wait and see" I say with a smirk.

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A roar of sound filed the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"RONALD WEASLEY, HOW DARE STEAL THAT CAR. I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE. YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.

"Well, that was interesting" I say, trying to break the silence. "Hope mine is not as hard as yours."

_Dear Tony,_

_I received a letter from Mrs. Weasley a few days ago, about taking a car to rescue Harry. I should be angry, but I am not. Poor Harry, I understand he needed a break from the muggles. I also received one of Professor McGonagall's about the car to get to school and damaging the Whomping Willow. Please be more careful, you and your friends could have died. Now, for the love of God behave or I will pick you up from Hogwarts myself. Yours,_

_Aunt Andromeda_

_PS: Do not think I've forgotten about your little joke about leaving the dog at home. I'll take care of her for you, just this once._

I sighed in relief after reading the letter. I think she is not angry… at least not too much. Ron snatched the letter out of my hands. He reads it and hands me back the letter.

"Why can't mom be more like this?" I grin and laugh.

Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. She also mentioned that Quidditch try outs were next week. That was something I was looking forward.


	12. Lockhart's Class

Chapter 12

Later that day, I was sitting next to Hermione in Defense Against Dark Arts. Lockhart was going to teach and I wasn't thrilled with the idea. When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me" he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for us to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. _"Pathetic" _I thought.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books -well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in -"

Great! Simply perfect. I haven't read any of them. Why would I? I was having too much fun in Weasleys house.

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!"

I looked shocked and with disbelief at the questions.

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

How am I, supposed to know all this? How is this going to help us defending ourselves? This is so useless and stupid. I answer all the questions randomly, I bet I won't get anything higher than a 6. I think I might copy Hermione; after all, it looks like she knows what to answer.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"

He gave them another roguish wink. I looked at Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Harry, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name. I feel like I want to vomit.

". . . but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions – good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione raised a trembling hand.

"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business -"

Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter. I started to laugh quietly with Seamus.

They're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be! Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage

It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. I hit the pixies with my books, trying to get them away from me.

"Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" Lockhart shouted

It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, Neville fell seconds later with a big thud.

The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione and I, who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you four to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.

"Can you believe him?" roared Ron on our way down to the Great Hall.

"He has no idea what he's doing" I mutter.

"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione.

"I can't believe you are defending him, Hermione" Harry says. Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing -"

"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books - look at all those amazing things he's done -"

"He says he's done," Ron muttered. I laugh and Hermione scowls at us.

_So this chapter is super short so I will update two chapters today, instead of one as a reward. I also want to answer some reviews that I got. To:_

___and __**dreaming4diamonds**__: Thank you for voting, I really appreciate it._

_**YouKnowWho99**__: I know, he is raised by the Tonks, so I changed the __paragraph. Now, it says about his aunt being a witch and his cousin a __metamorphmagus. You were right. I was changing that days ago but, I always forgot, until now. You can go back to chapter one and see the changes I made. Thank also for telling me about me spelling mistakes, I checked the story and corrected some. And thak you for saying me all this, I know you were not trying to be mean, you just wanted to help._

_**May a Chance:**__ I know I have spelling mistakes, yesterday I spent all day reading the story carefully, looking for errors. I wanted to talk about the name. I know tha Black family is mostly named after stars, that is why i changed his second name "Brian" to "Cygnus"._

_And my special thanks to __**war sage**__: Thank you for always being there for me, you always leave a "good chapter" message that makes me smile every time I read it._

_-Lobo Sombra ___


	13. Mudblood

Chapter 13

"Alright!. Anyone who is first year can leave. Anyone who wants to try out for keeper can leave too or try out for a different position." said Wood.

Almost half of the people left. Well, less competition. I decided to try out for chaser. I scored almost every time, I just missed two opportunities. At the end Wood came over to me.

"That was great! Very impressive. You and Alicia tied with almost had a perfect score. She has been on the team for a couple of years now so I kind of owe her the position."

"I understand."

"But, don't worry I am going to make you a backup in case we need it, you are going to be my first option. Also you need to train with us to see how you work with the team."

"Wonderful. There is one problem though. I don't have my own broom."

"I will see what I can do with that." He says and he leaves. I start walking to the common room when Fred and George meet me half way.

"You did great out there. Did Wood give you a position?" Fred asks.

"Not exactly" I say and explain them that I will be a backup.

"Rubbish" George said." You were better. You deserve an actual spot."

"He did that because he knows Alicia would throw a fit if she wasn't on the team." Fred tells me.

"It's okay guys, a backup spot its better than no spot at all." I say.

Next day I woke up by someone shaking my arm. It was Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"What is going on?" I asked, still sleep.

"Quidditch practice!" said Wood. "Come on! Don't you want you brand new broom?"

That caught my and shivering slightly, I climbed out of bed. He threw me my new uniform and left.

Harry and I had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind him and Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand.

"I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed; I wanted to show you -"

Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph

"See you on the pitch" I tell Harry, not wanting to hear Colin talking about Harry.

By the time I arrived, everyone was there. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George Weasley were sitting, puffy-eyed and tousle haired, next to fourth year Alicia Spinnet, who seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Her fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side opposite them. Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different colored inks. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred Weasley's head drooped right onto Alicia Spinnet's shoulder and he began to snore. I chuckle at the sight. I can't believe Wood hasn't noticed yet.

"So this year, we train harder than ever before ... Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff legged and still yawning, his team followed.

They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Harry and I walked onto the field, I saw Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.

"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.

"Haven't even started," said Harry

"Black, come here!" Wood shouted. I joined him. "Here is you new broom. A Nimbus 2000, like Harry´s."

"Cool" I whisper. "Thanks"

"You're welcome. Now, start flying."

I do as he says. I mounted my new broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped my face, waking me far more effectively than Wood's long talk. I soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred, George and Harry.

"What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around the corner.

All of us looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised.

"Who's that?" said Fred.

"No idea," Harry lied.

"That is Harry´s personal photographer." I say with smirk. He looks at and me shots me a death glare.

"What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward us. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy."

"The Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.

"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.

"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing. Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands.

"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"

Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, George and I followed.

"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.

"I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. `I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker."'

"We've got a new member too" Wood says.

"Like if I cared" Flint said.

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"

It was Draco Malfoy. Well, that was a surprise.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under our noses.None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.

"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."

Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on.

"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly."Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team." Ron gasped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too"

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.

No, he didn't. Please God tell me I hear wrong. Malfoy is dead boy. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!" ; and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face. A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.The Slytherin team was paralyzed with laughter. I took the opportunity and dragged Malfoy out the Slytherins teams reach. I pull the collar of his robes and throw him to the ground.

"Listen to me!" I yell, taking my wand out and pointing at him. "If I ever hear you call her that way again, you can consider yourself a dead boy. Do you understand?"

Fear was written all over his face. He nodded rapidly a few times before standing up. He walks until we are shoulder to shoulder.

"I thought we have a deal." He whispers, coldly.

"We have. You might be my cousin but, I will not let you hurt my friends." I hiss. "Thought you were different." I say before joining Harry and Hermione. Everyone looked at me with faces of shock and disbelief. Some mouths were hung open. I choose to ignore them.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Hermione and I, Hermione nodded bravely, and we pulled Ron up by the arms. Harry, Hermione and I supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.

"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute - almost there -"

They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house. Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.

"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me - come in, come in"

Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold. I looked for a chair and pointed it ho Harry and Hermione.

"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand -"

"Who was he tryin' ter curse?" Hagrid asked.

"Malfoy called Hermione something - it must've been really bad," Harry said

"It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her `Mudblood,' Hagrid -"

Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged.

"He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.

"He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course -"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, and then started vomiting again.

"Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born - you know non-magic parents." I continue for Ron. "There are some wizards - like Malfoy's family - who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood."

"Now I can see why everyone went wild." Harry said. "Even Tony, he looked like he was about to kill Malfoy."

"He did the greatest thing ever." Ron interfered. "He threw Malfoy to the ground and yelled at him saying that if he called Hermione that way again he could consider himself dead."

"Really?" Hagrid asked in disbelief looking at me. I nodded. "Good, he finally got what he deserves."

"Anyway, look at Neville Longbottom - he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up." Ron says.

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.

"It's a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."

He retched and ducked out of sight again.

"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid.

It was nearly lunchtime and as Harry and I had only had one bit of treacle fudge since dawn, we were keen to go back to school to eat. We said good-bye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs. They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter – Weasley – Black. Mr. Black and Mr. Weasley will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch, "said Professor McGonagall." And no magic, elbow grease."

Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school.

"And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall.

"Oh n - Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said Harry desperately.

"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp."

Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school- rules. It's not that bad, it's better that Harry´s chore.

"Filch'll have us there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."

"We are going to end up cleaning until midnight" I say.

"I'd swap anytime," said Harry hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail ... he'll be a nightmare..."

Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was ten minutes to eight. I was about to leave the common room Hermione called me. I tuned and see her.

"Thank you" she says, with a shy smile. "You know, for what happened earlier.

No had ever stood up for me before."

"Anytime." I say with a smile. She makes sure no one is watching and kisses me on the check. She blushes and runs back to the girl's dormitory. I touch the spot where her lips were and I feel how a blush. I go and meet Filch a little more cheerful.

_I dont have much to say in this chapter, everything i wanted to say its written in the last chapter. Anyway, this is a good opportunity to ask you to review. Review and tell me what you think._

_-Lobo sombra_


	14. Punishment

Chapter 14

I got to the trophy room just in time.

"Well, here we have the trouble makers. There is the polish and the rags. I want the trophies shinning. No stopping until I say." Filch says with and evil grin. I groan, take some rags and start polishing. We had been here for an hour and half when Ron had another slug attack, belching up all over a special award won several years ago. When Filch saw what had happened, he made us clean the award 14 times before letting us go.

It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. We went to our room. Harry was already there waiting for us.

"My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on his bed.

"Fourteen times he made us buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off... How was it with Lockhart?

Harry told us exactly what he had heard.

"And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron. I could see him frowning in the moonlight. "Do you think he was lying? I don't get it - even someone invisible would've had to open the door."

"I know," said Harry, lying back. "I don't get it either."

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking something by Percy. Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened. And before I realized Halloween was here.

Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles.

After a muddy practice, Wood came up to me. "Hey, can you hold on a second before you hit the showers." he asked.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"Our first match is against Slytherin. I have noticed that you have done better than Alicia, so I am going to putting you in the first match"

"Are you sure? Isn't she going to be mad because she is not in the first match?"

"Don't worry, let me handle Alicia. She will understand that is the best for the team."

"I won't let you down. I promise." I say walking to the broom cupboard. I run to the showers. I take a quick shower and head to the Great Hall. Harry, Ron and Hermione were already there. I sat next to Ron. Harry was telling Hermione about the voice he heard in his detention.

"Are you sure he didn't hear it too?" Hermione asked.

"Totally. Lockhart had no idea what I was talking about." Harry said. They kept talking about I don't know what, I wasn't paying attention, I was still thinking in what Wood told me. I hear someone call my name so I turn around.

"Are you going to Nearly Headless Nick's party? Harry asked me.

"No way. I don't want to hear a bunch of ghost talking about their death. It's far more depressing than the Halloween feasts." I told him. "Are you?"

"Yeah. I managed to convince Ron and Hermione to go too. We will come back for the feast, though."

"Have fun." I say, sarcastically.

We all go back to the common room and start doing some homework until Harry decides it was time for them to go to Nick's party. I waved them goodbye. I looked around so I could find some familiar face to talk to. I saw Ginny sitting alone near the fireplace so I made my way to her.

"Hey." She jumps a little, and looks at me. "May I sit here? I say, nodding towards the seat next her. She nods. "How have you been?"

"Fine" she whispers, looking everywhere but me.

"Are you sure?" I ask, unconvinced.

"Yeah. I have to leave" she says nervously, standing up. I take her hand to prevent her to go. "You know you can trust me, right? Is anyone or anything bothering you?" She shook her head and walks away.

I wonder what she is hiding or if she is protecting someone. Who knows? It could be anything. I feel hungry so I go to the Great Hall. I sat with the twins and ate everything I could. After a few minutes I noticed Harry, Hermione and Ron weren't here. Aren't they supposed to back from the party?

"Have you seen Harry, your brother or Hermione lately? I asked. They shook their heads no so I decided to go and look for them. I found the three of the running on the second floor.

"What's going on?" I asked, starting to chase after them.

"I don't know. Harry said he heard that voice from before" Hermione informed me as we rounded a corner. Harry stopped running and so we did.

"Harry, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything. . . ."

But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.

"Look!"

Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming was a large puddle of water on the floor.

**_The chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware_**

"What's that thing - hanging underneath?" said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.

All four of us realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash. Mrs. Norris was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

"Let's get out of here." I say.

"Shouldn't we try and help -" Harry began awkwardly.

"Trust me," I told him. "We don't want to be found here."

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told us that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs. The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. The four of us were caught in the middle of the corridor. Then someone shouted:

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.

What's going on here? What's going on?" Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked. And his popping eyes fell on Harry.

"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you!

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a group of teachers.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Black, Miss Granger. The rest of you go back to your dormitories."

Dumbledore looked at the cat closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her …"

Based on the faces of the teachers no one believed last Dumbledore straightened up.

"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris.

"But why's she all - all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart. _Keep dreaming, Professor_ I thought). "But how, I cannot say . . . ."

"Ask him!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly.

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at him.

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch.

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows. "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't the three at the Halloween feast? Mr. Black left early."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. ". . . there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there -"

"And you, Black?" Snape asked.

"I left early to go to the deathday party. I told them I would meet them there and found them here." I lie.

"You are here because…?" Snape, asked looking at Harry.

"Because - because -" Harry said. "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," he said.

"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly.

"My cat has been Petrified!" Filch shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently.

"Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, Hermione and I.

We went, as quickly we they could without actually running to the Gryffindor tower.

"Do you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"

"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

"You do believe me, don't you?" Harry asks.

"'Course we do," I said quickly. "But -you must admit it's weird"


	15. Truth or Myth?

Chapter 15

For a few days, the school could talk of little else but Ginny seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.

"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking -" Ron added. I elbowed him in the ribs as Ginny blanched.

The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. None of us could get much response from her when we asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did we find out.

I found Ron and Harry at the back of the library, measuring their History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a threefoot-long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards."

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short." said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll.

"And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny."

"Where is she?" asked Harry, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling his own homework.

"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas."

Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them.

"All the copies of _Hogwarts, A History_ have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Harry and I.

"Why do you want it?" said Harry.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"Tony, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.

"No," I say. "It took me a lot of time to finish it. Do it yourself."

"I only need another two inches, come on -"

The bell rang so we go to the History of Magic class, which is the dullest subject on our schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard.

Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner. He had been talking only for five minutes and half of the class was fighting to stay awake, I was one of them. He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. Hermione put up her hand.

Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed.

"Miss - er -?"

"Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice. For once everyone in the class was interested.

"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat and continued. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again.

"Miss Grant?"

"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"

"Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose. Let me see ... the Chamber of Secrets ..."

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."

He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued.

"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school. "

"But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. "

"Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

There was silence as he finished telling the was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed.

"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."

Hermione's hand was back in the air.

"Sir - what exactly do you mean by the `horror within' the Chamber?"

"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice.

For the first time everyone was asking questions, questions he didn't like, so he refused to answer. And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usual torpor.

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told us as we fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off our bags before dinner.

"Do you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" I asked Hermione.

"I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be - well - human."

As she spoke, we turned a corner and found ourselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. "Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny . . . ."

Harry and I got up and crossed to the window next to the message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through as mall crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.

"No," said Harry, "have you, Ron? Ron?"

I looked over his shoulder. Ron was standing well back and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run.

"What's up?" said Harry.

"I - don't - like - spiders," said Ron tensely. "I just don't like the way they move ...

Hermione giggled.

"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my - my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick ... You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear or suddenly it had too many legs and …"

He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh.

"Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."

"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door."

"Can't go in there," I say gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."

"Oh, Tony, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione, standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look."

Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the end she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"

"This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron, Harry and I suspiciously. "They're not girls."

"No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show them how er - nice it is in here."

"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween."

"Did you see anyone near here that night?" I said.

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself Then, of course, I remembered that I'm - that I'm… "

"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.

Myrtle gave a tragic sob and refused to continue speaking. Hermione shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle ... Come on, let's go."

We left and went to the common room.

"Who can it be?" Hermione said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?"

He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

"If you're talking about Malfoy -"

"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him - `You'll be next, Mudbloods!'- come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him -"

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" I say skeptically.

"Look at his family," said Harry, closing his books, too. "The whole lots of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."

"I don't think Malfoy it's the heir" I say. I know our families aren't exactly the most united but, I think I would have heard something about it if it were true. I decided to go along with it even when I knew they were most likely wrong.

"But how do we prove it?" said Harry darkly.

"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect -"

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.

"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us."

"But that's impossible," Harry said as Ron laughed.

"Actually, it is possible" I say. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

"What's that?" said Ron and Harry together.

"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into four of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like four of the Slytherins forever?"

"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library. There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."

"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance ...

"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick . . . ."

"Or we could find a teacher that would sign everything that is in front of him." I tell them with smile.


	16. Dueling

Chapter 16

Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.

"Homework - compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"

The class began to leave. Harry returned to the back of the room, where Ron, Hermione and I were waiting.

"Ready?" Harry muttered.

"Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right . . . " She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, Harry and Ron and I right behind her.

"Er - Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to – to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it - I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow-acting venoms

"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. "Possibly my favorite book. You enjoyed it?"

"Oh, yes," said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer -"

"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron's face. "I usually save it for book-signings."

He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.

"I don't believe it," I said as the four of us examined the signature on the note after leaving the class room. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed."

It was Saturday morning, day of my first Quidditch match. Hermione had started the potion the day before, in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom. I sat next to Harry and Hermione on breakfast. I was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, especially if it was my fault, but also at the idea of facing a team mounted on the fastest racing brooms gold could buy.

"Morning." said Harry. "Morning." I mumbled.

"Nervous?" he asks and I nod. I remember last year when Harry was nervous and didn't want to eat. Now I understand the feeling.

"Don't worry, you will do it great" Hermione says giving me a hug, which makes me feel better.

As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish Harry and I good luck as we entered the locker rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.

"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -" ("Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August") "- and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."

Wood turned to Harry.

"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Harry" said Fred, winking at him.

As we walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted us; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three ... two ... one. . .

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Harry flew higher than any of us, squinting around for the Snitch.

I quickly got the quaffle. I was about to score when a bludger came right in my head, almost knocking me off the broom and making me drop the quaffle. Once I mounted my broom properly, I looked around and see that the same bludger that almost hit me was chasing after Harry. After five minutes Wood called for a time out. Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero. No matter how hard Angelina, Katie and I tried to get the quaffle we couldn't get it, they were too fast.

"What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then . . . ." said Wood, anxiously.

Madam Hooch was walking toward us.

"Listen," said Harry as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."

"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."

"Oliver, this is insane," I say angrily. "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Let's ask for an inquiry –"

"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Harry. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver; tell them to leave me alone!"

"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. " `Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell him -"

Madam Hooch had joined us.

"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.

Wood looked at the determined look on Harry's face.

"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Harry -leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."

So we took off again. Soon I scored Gryffindor's first 10 points. There was a yell from the crowd, so I turned to see what was going. Harry caught the snitch and he was lying on the ground. I quickly flew down to Harry as the crowd began to gather around.

"I think it's broken" he said to Ron. I looked at his shoulder and saw it was in a weird angle.

"No need to worry, Harry" said Lockhart. "I will fix it."

"Oh, no, not you," he moaned.

"Doesn't know what he's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around us. "Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."

"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.

"He should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say -"

"Anthony! Watch out!" someone yelled.

I turned around and saw the bludger flying in our direction. I caught it and I was thrown to the ground. Between Fred and George both put the bludger in a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight. Hermione helped me up.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah" I say, clutching my stomach. "No permanent damage done."

She smiles and we go back to Harry.

"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.

"No - don't -" said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Harry's arm. He lifted Harry's arm which bend like jelly. Lockhart hadn't mended Harry's bones. He had removed them.

"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing - ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort him? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."

I was about to follow them when Alicia called me, so I walked to where she was.

"I just want tell you that I saw you flying today, I understand why Wood choose you instead of me. So… no hard feelings?" she says, hopefully.

"No hard feelings" I tell her. She sighs of relief and waves goodbye. I go to the hospital wing and find a very unpleased Madam Pomfrey.

"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back -"

"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night ..."

Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele-Gro.

"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

Harry drinks of it making him cough and splutter.

"We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face.

"That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face ... he looked ready to kill ..."

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry, sinking back onto his pillows. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff ...

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron

Sunday morning I woke up because Hermione was shaking me.

"Anthony, get up! I have got all the ingredients for the potion. Wake up Ron too, I will meet you in the bathroom of Moaning Myrtle." She says and leaves.

I yawned and slowly got dressed. "Get up" I say to a sound asleep Ron. He kept snoring. "Get you lazy ass out of bed" I yelled on his ear. He jumped out of bed and fell to the ground

"Bloody hell" he said.

"Hermione want us to go and meet her. She found all the ingredients for the potion. Get dressed." I told him and waited for him to change outside the room.

Once he was done we headed to the seconds floor bathroom. Once we got there I saw Hermione sitting on the floor with a cauldron and Harry standing against a wall with his arm in a sling.

"What a surprise to see you around here, Harry" I say, imitating Harry's position and crossing my arms.

"Yeah, I wished I could say the same about Colin" he answers.

"What happed to Colin?" Ron asked.

"He was petrified last night" Harry explains us. He also told us about Dobby in the hospital wing and that he was the one who closed the barrier at the train station and he was the one who set the bludger on him.

"So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm "I say and he nods his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."

"So," Hermione says to get our attention. "once the potion is ready we are going to need a bit of the person we are going to turn into. We also need to figure out who we are turning into."

"Crabbe and Goyle" Ron and Harry say at unison.

"What about you? Hermione asks me.

"I don't know. I was thinking of Blaise Zabini but, he has short hair so I don't I will get something from him." I tell her.

"Maybe you can guard the unconscious bodies of Crabbe and Goyle." She suggests. "Distract them if necessary."

"Sound fine to me." I say.

In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I signed her list; we had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck us as very suspicious. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him. It was hard to convince my aunt; she let me stay because I use the excuse that I wanted to spend the holidays with my friends. She believed me.

A week later, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were walking across the entrance hall when we saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan beckoned them over, looking excited.

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days ..."

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.

"Could be useful," Hermione said as we went into dinner. "I wouldn't mind learning some spells to course Malfoy next time he decided to mess with us. Shall we go?"

At eight o'clock that evening we hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young - maybe it'll be him."

"As long as it's not -" Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

"You don't need spells to scare Draco" I whisper into Hermione's ear, making her jump a little. "Just give a nice punch in the jaw and he will leave you alone."

"Why in the jaw?" she whispers, looking at me.

"It hurts more there." I tell her.

"How do you know that?"

I shrug. "Experience."

"I don't believe you"

"I swear it's true. When my aunt asked about how I behaved at school my teacher would tell her I was a troublemaker. I got in some fights, that is how I learned".

She giggled and was about to say something when Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called: "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works."

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.

"One - two - three -"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

I couldn't avoid laughing, this was so ridiculous. Sorry my mistake, Lockhart was ridiculous. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. I even think of cheering with them.

Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.

"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together. Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see . . ."

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me -"

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner with Mr. Crabbe. Potter -"

Harry moved automatically toward Hermione.

"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. You, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Bulstrode. And you Mr. Black with Mr. Finnigan." I made my way to Seamus.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!" We did the bow and took a few steps back.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three -"

"Expelliarmus" I yelled. A jet of red light came from my wand and hit Seamus on the chest, knocking him backwards. I walked over where he was and offered him my hand. I took and I helped stand up.

"Now I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you -"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker.

"How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. "Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops -my wand is a little overexcited -"

"Three - two - one - go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded. Everyone watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it ..."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. Suddenly Harry started to hiss.

"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted. Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke.

"Come on," said Rods voice in our ears. "Move - come on -"

Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione and I hurrying alongside had dragged him all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room. Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" said Harry.

"A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story - but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard. I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't," I say. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."

"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin -"

"Oh, that's what you said to it?"

"What d'you mean? You were there - you heard me -"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything - no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know -"

Harry gaped at him.

"I spoke a different language? But - I didn't realize - how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"

We looked at each other no knowing what to say.

"Being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent." Hermione said.

Harry's mouth fell open.

"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something -"

"But I'm not," said Harry, with a panic.

"You'll find that hard to prove," I told him.

_As you may have noticed, I am starting to do the chapter a little bit longer, so the story moves quicker. Remember, complaints, comments, jokes, anything you can think of let me know ion a review._

_-Lobo Sombra_


	17. Riddle's Diary's

Chapter 17

By next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.

Harry and I fretted about this next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their time off to play a game of wizard chess.

"For heaven's sake, Harry," said Hermione, exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."

Harry has wanted to explain the whole thing to Justin. Harry got up and left through the portrait hole and I followed him to the library. A group of the Hufliepuffs who should have been in Herbology were sitting at the back of the library, but they didn't seem to be working.

"So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually told him he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"

"You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails anxiously.

"Hannah," said the stout boy solemnly, "he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."

"He always seems so nice, though," said Hannah uncertainly, "and, well, he's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. He can't be all bad, can he?"

"No one knows how he survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that." He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "That's probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding.

Clearing his throat loudly, Harry stepped out from behind the bookshelves. Every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been petrified by the sight of him, and the color was draining out of Ernie's face.

"Hello," said Harry. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."

The Hufepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.

"What do you want with him?" said Ernie in a quavering voice.

"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Dueling Club," said Harry.

Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, "We were all there. We saw what happened."

"Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" said Harry.

"All I saw," said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake toward Justin."

"I didn't chase it at him!" Harry said, his voice shaking with anger. "It didn't even touch him!"

"It was a very near miss," said Ernie.

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the library, earning himself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing the gilded cover of a large spellbook. I looked at them with disapproval face. I was about to leave when I got an idea.

"Next time you want to speak badly of Harry, come and say it to his face or mine" I say out loud to no one in specific. "Let's see how brave you really are." And I leave.

That day was a double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Harry and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. Evetone, especially Harry was glad that most people were leaving. He was tired of people skirting around him in the corridors, as though he was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as he passed.

Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting,

"Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ..."

Harry didn't mind at all. Percy was deeply disapproving of their behavior.

"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."

"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Ginny didn't find it amusing either.

"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle.

Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behavior, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room. He had already told us pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry, Ron and I, the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for the three of us.

"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.

"Hermione - you're not supposed to be in here -" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.

"Merry Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

I sat on my bed and found some gifts. Hermione had bought him a luxury eagle-feather quill and the same perfume that last year. I opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake. I feel guilty, she gave me a gift when we crashed Mr. Weasley car. I don't deserve it. I also receive a letter from my father, which I decide to hide in my pocket until I am alone.

"Why do you always give him a perfume?" Ron asks to Hermione, looking at the small bottle.

"Girls like guys that smell good" she says, repeating what she said last year.

"Yeah? I don't buy that. I think you want HIM to smell good. That is different."

She blushes. "And I think you are out your mind" Hermione tells him. "See you at the Great Hall." She leaves.

I hear Ron whisper something that I can't catch but Harry does and he laughs. I raise my eye brow asking them a silent question, but he shook his head. I wonder what he told him.

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling.

Harry and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoys best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him."

"I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet. Anthony will keep an eye on them."

We lurked in the deserted entrance hall after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, shoveling down fourth helpings of trifle. Harry had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle coming out of the Great Hall, Harry and Ron hid quickly behind a suit of armor next to the front door.

"How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them. Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the cakes whole into their large mouths. For a moment, both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on their faces. Then, without the smallest change of expression, they both keeled over backward onto the floor.

By far the hardest part of my job was hiding them in the closet across the hall. Harry yanked out a couple of the bristles that covered Goyle's forehead and Ron pulled out several of Crabbe's hairs. They also stole their shoes, because their own were far too small for Crabbe- and Goyle-size feet. Then, still stunned at what they had just done, they sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

I went back to the hall, which was deserted and sat on the floor with my back against a wall. I look around to see if anybody is there. Space is clear. I take out Sirius letter and start to read.

_Dear Cygnus,_

_It is nice to hear you have some new friends. I hope you are having fun. You fought a Troll? I am very impressed, surprised and proud. Not everyone can say that they defeated a Troll._

_About Malfoy… I think it's great you decided to be friends. On the other hand, don't spend too much time with him, he can be a very bad influence._

_Snape was in our same grade in Hogwarts. He was from Slytherin. I must say that Harry's father and I used to prank him a lot. I am not proud of what I did on those times._

_A dog? I would never have expected a dog on Christmas. I always wanted one, though. Hope she takes care of you._

_Remember that I love you. With all my heart and soul. And we will see each other soon. I promise. Sincerely,_

_Sirius Black_

I read it many times until I hear some noise coming from the broom closet. I think they are waking up. So the hour must have passed. I stand up and look at the closet one last time before running to Moaning Myrtle bathroom. Ron and Harry where already there when I came in.

"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you -" Harry said.

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are."

But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door. I had never seen her looking so happy.

"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful-"

We heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink. Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.

"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Look at your tail" Ron laughed.

"It's not time for laughing" I say to Ron. "It's okay, Hermione," I tell her. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions"

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on our way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!" I shot her a death glare.

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked. So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.

Ron, Harry and I went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.

"If I had sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown.

"I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.

"Nothing," said Harry gloomily.

"I was so sure it was Malfoy," said Ron, for about the hundredth time.

"What's that?" asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.

"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:

"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award. "

Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted.

"You sleep with this under your pillow?"

But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to us as we left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. We heard a voice and stop in our tracks.

We poked our heads around the corner. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He heard Myrtle complain

"Now what's up with her?" said Ron.

"Let's go and see," said Harry, and holding our robes over our ankles and stepped through the great wash of water to the door bearing it's OUT OF ORDER sign, ignored it as always, and entered.

Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floor soaking wet.

"What's up, Myrtle?" said Harry.

"Who's that?" glugged Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"

"Why would someone throw something at you?" I ask.

"Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me."

"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," Ron said, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"

He had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked,

"Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I don't think!"

"Who threw it at you, anyway?" asked Harry.

"I don't know... I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out ."

Harry and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Harry stepped forward to pick it up, but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back.

"What?" said Harry.

"Are you crazy?" said Ron. "It could be dangerous."

"Dangerous?" said Harry, laughing. "Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"

"You'd be surprised," said Ron, who was looking apprehensively at the book.

"Well, we won't find out unless we look at it," he said, and he ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor.

Harry saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded year on the cover told him it was fifty years old. He opened it eagerly. On the first page he could just make out the name "T M. Riddle" in smudged ink. That name sounds familiar.

"Hang on," said Ron, who had approached cautiously and was looking over Harry's shoulder. "I know that name ... T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."

"How on earth d'you know that?" said Harry in amazement. Now I remember too.

"Because Filch made me polish his shield about fifty times in detention," said Ron resentfully. "That was the one I burped slugs all over. If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour, you'd remember it, too."

"He never wrote in it," said Harry, disappointed.

"I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?" I said, curiously.

Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and furfree, at the beginning of February. On her first evening back in Gryffindor Tower, Harry showed her T. M. Riddle's diary and told her the story of how they had found it.

"Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.

"If it has, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. "Maybe it's shy. I don't know why you don't chuck it, Harry."

"I wish I knew why someone did try to chuck it," said Harry. "I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts either."

"Could've been anything," I said.

"The Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, wasn't it?" Harry said. "That's what Malfoy said."

"We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for catching the Heir of199 Slytherin? His diary would probably tell us everything - where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it - the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?" Hermione said.

"That's a brilliant theory, Hermione," said Ron, "with just one tiny little flaw. There's nothing written in his diary."

Hermione tried to reveal the secrets of the diary but she couldn't.

Today was February fourteen. I hadn't got much sleep because of the late running Quidditch practice the night before, and I hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. I was convinced, for a moment that I'd walked through the wrong doors.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. I went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron and Harry were sitting looking sickened, and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.

"What's going on?" I asked them, sitting down and wiping confetti off my bacon.

Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where I sat, I could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all - and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines!

Almost every guy groaned and every girl squealed with excitement.

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," I said as we left the Great Hall for our first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.

All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers. I was very surprised when I received letter multiple times, I counted 14 letters in total. All of girls from first grade to fourth. Late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Harry.

"Oy, you! Harry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Harry.

Hot all over at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley, Harry tried to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached him before he'd gone two paces.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Harry Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in a threatening sort of way.

"Not here," Harry hissed, trying to escape.

"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of Harry's bag and pulling him back.

"Let me go!" Harry snarled, tugging.

"Here is your singing valentine:

_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,  
His hair is as dark as a blackboard.  
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,  
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord _

Ginny passed everyone to enter her classroom; Malfoy yelled spitefully after her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!" Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class.

I pity Ginny, her poem nice and Harry didn't like it. The worst of all Malfoy yelled at her. I was wrong when I thought I could like Ginny, even if we were on a relationship she wouldn't love me. She will always have a crush on Harry. Friendship is all I will get from her and that is all I want.

Late that afternoon Harry went to "sleep" early. Ron, Hermione and I stayed up in the common room one hour and then decided to go to sleep too. We enterd or room and saw Harry sitting on his bed, sweating.

"There you are," he said.

"What's up?" said Ron, looking at him with concern.

"It was Hagrid. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

He explained us what he had seen in the memory of the diary. We all had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. Certainly, Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody. There is something wrong with this story.

"Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people . . . ."

"How many monsters do you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."

Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice."Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"

"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"

In the end, we agreed that we would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack.

The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.

"It could affect our whole future," she told us as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.

"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."

In the end, I chose almost the same new subjects as Ron and Harry. The only difference is that I chose Ancient Runes instead of Divination. "_Expect the unexpected_" that's what I told them. "_The future would be no longer fun if I knew what happened."_

Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Harry and I barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework.

However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match so we went up to his dormitory to drop off our broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better. Katie hadn't felt well, since the last attack, so she asked me to replace her.

At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, we met Neville Longbottom, who was looking frantic.

"Harry - I don't know who did it - I just found -"

Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the door.

The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.

"What happened, Harry?" I asked.

"No idea," said Harry. But Ron was examining Harry's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.

"Someone's been looking for something," said Ron. "Is there anything missing?"

"Riddle's diary's gone," he said in an undertone.


	18. Aragog

Chapter 18

"What?"

Harry jerked his head toward the dormitory door and Ron and I followed him out. We hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy. I need that book.

Hermione looked aghast at the news.

"But - only a Gryffindor could have stolen - nobody else knows our password -"

"Exactly," said Harry.

They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."

We left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go and collect his Quidditch things. We had just set foot on the marble staircase when Harry heard it yet again

"The voice!" said Harry, -looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again - didn't you?"

Ron and I shook our heads, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Harry - I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"

And she sprinted away, up the stairs. We got our stuff and hurried to the field, it was almost eleven teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.

Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.

"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.

"But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play - the cup Gryffindor -"

Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone:

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned me over to her.

"Black, I think you'd better come with me …"

"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Potter and Weasley." she said to Harry and Ron who had come to meet us.

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack ... another double attack."

Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and we entered. .

Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair. It's a Ravenclaw but I don't know her name. And on the bed next to her was

"Hermione!" I groaned.

Hermione laid utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.

"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them ..."

She was holding up a small, circular mirror. We looked at each other and shook our heads, everyone staring at Hermione.

"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case.

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindor's packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading. She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately. I wasn't paying attention to what they were saying though; all I could think is Hermione. I didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone. Seemed like hours when Harry called me.

"Do you think they suspect Hagrid?"I ask.

"We've got to go and talk to him," said Harry, making up his mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."

"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class -"

"I think," said Harry, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again." It was our only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it. We went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the cloak over ourselves.

The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. It was with relief that we reached the oak front doors and eased them open.

We hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloak only when they were right outside his front door. Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at us.

"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you doin' here?"

"What's that for?" said Harry, pointing at the crossbow as we stepped inside.

"Nothin' - nothin' - " Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' doesn' matter - Sit down - I'll make tea -"

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you okay, Hagrid?" said Harry. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice. He kept glancing nervously at the windows. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Harry and Ron exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over us and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that we were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.

"Good evening, Hagrid."

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.

"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"

Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to 's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something."

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty -"

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where? Not Azkaban?

Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl. _What is he doing here?_ I thought.

"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good. . ."

"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - er - d'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension - you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.

"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside. "However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of us could miss a word, "you will find that I will truly have left when there is nobody loyal to me in the school."

"If anyone wanted ter fin about some stuff, all they´d have ter do is follow the spiders." Hagrid bellowed. That was clearly a message for us, and the he left with Fudge. Ron pulled the Cloak off us as soon as the door was closed.

"You heard Hagrid, follow the spiders" Harry said. He called Fang and went outside.

"They are going into the forest." Ron said, nervously as we joined him.

"Come on." I said.

So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, we entered the walked for what seemed like at least half an hour. After a while, we noticed that the ground seemed to be sloping downward, though the trees were as thick as ever.

"There's something moving over there," Harry breathed. "Listen ... sounds like something big ..."

Some distance to our right, the something big was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.

"Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh -"

"Shut up," said Harry frantically. "It'll hear you."

There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.

"What d'you think it's doing?" said Harry.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron..

"Do you think it's gone?" I whispered.

"Dunno -"

Ron didn't speak. He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on a point some ten feet above the forest floor, right behind Harry. His face was livid with terror. A giant spider showed itself.

"Hargrid? Is that you?" the spider asked.

"We are friends of Hagrid" Harry shouted.

Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all around the hollow. The spider paused.

"Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before," he said slowly.

"Hagrid's in trouble," said Harry, breathing very fast. "That's why we've come."

"In trouble?" said the aged spider, and I thought he heard concern beneath the clicking pincers. Or maybe I am hallucinating "But why has he sent you?"

"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a a - something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban."

"But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."

"And you ... you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" I said.

"I!" said Aragog, clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me"

"So you never - never attacked anyone?" I ask, sounding more confident that I am.

"Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up."

"But then ... Do you know what did kill that girl?" said Harry. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again -"

"The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog, "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."

"What is it?" said Harry urgently.

"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."

"We'll just go, then," Harry called desperately to Aragog, hearing leaves rustling behind him.

"Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not ...

"But - but -"I started

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friends of Hagrid."

The spiders began scurrying towards us. Just when we thought we were going to die we saw a light coming from the woods. Mr. Weasley car came towards us and flew the doors open.

"Get Fang!" Harry yelled, diving into the front seat; Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car with me - the doors slammed shut - Ron didn't touch the accelerator but the car didn't need him; the engine roared and we were off, hitting more spiders. We sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and we were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously knew.

The car stopped so suddenly that we were nearly thrown into the windshield. We had reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in his anxiety to get out, and when Harry opened the door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs.

Harry went inside to get his cloak and I stayed outside with Ron who was being violently sick in the pumpkin patch.

"Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."

"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Harry.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" He was shivering uncontrollably now.

"What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?" I ask.

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," said Harry, throwing the cloak over Ron and I and prodding Ron in the arm to make him walk. "He was innocent."

At last we reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room, where the fire had burned itself into glowing ash. They took off the cloak and climbed the winding stair to our dormitory. Ron fell onto his bed without bothering to get undressed. I, however, didn't feel very sleepy. I lay on my bed, thinking hard about everything Aragog had said. Harry wasn't sleeping too, I could notice, probably we were thinking the same thing. Then it hit me.

"Ron, Harry" I hissed through the dark, "Ron -"

Ron woke with a yelp like Fang's, stared wildly around, and saw us.

"Ron -that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom," I told them, ignoring Neville's snuffing snores from the corner. "What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"

Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight. And then Harry and Ron understood.

"You don't think - not Moaning Myrtle?" Harry said.

Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Wood excitedly.

When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said,

"Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may, well, be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

I think I have never heard greater news. Hermione would finally be back. I felt happier now, knowing I could finally talk to her.

We knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without our help, but I wasn't about to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up - and to his delight it did, midmorning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor Petrified people's mouths will be: It was Hagrid. Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."

"That's right," said Ron. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go -"

"You know, Weasley, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare my next class -" And he hurried off.

"Prepare his class," Ron sneered after him. "Gone to curl his hair, more like."

We let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as we were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme

"Potter! Black! Weasley! What are you doing?"

It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.

"We were -we were-" Ron stammered. "We were going to - to go and see -"

"Hermione," I say with sadness. They look at me.

"We haven't seen her for ages, Professor," Harry went on hurriedly, treading on Ron's foot, "and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry -"

Professor McGonagall was still staring at us, and for a moment, I thought she was going to explode, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.

"Of course," she said, and I saw, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been ... I quite understand. Yes, Potter, Black, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."


	19. The Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 19

We had no choice now but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione. Madam Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly.

"There's just no point talking to a Petrified. person," she said, and we had to admit she had a point when we'd taken our seats next to Hermione. It was plain that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors, and that we might just as well tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it would do.

"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know."

I hold her right hand, just like she did when I was in the hospital. I begin to caress the back of her hand with my thumb. And then I feel something strange in her hand. A piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist. I pointed this out to Ronand Harry.

"Get it out," Ron whispered, shifting his chair so that he blocked me from Madam Pomfrey's view.

It was no easy task. Hermione's hand was clamped so tightly around the paper that I was sure I was going to tear it. After several tense minutes, the paper came free. It was a page torn from a very old library book. I smoothed it out eagerly and Ron and Harry leaned close to read it, too.

_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._

And beneath this, a single word had been written, in a hand I recognized as Hermione's. _Pipes._

"This is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a basilisk - a giant serpent! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue . . . ." Harry told us.

"The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died - because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin . . . Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again . . . and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror - and -" I say, catching on.

Rods jaw had dropped. "And Mrs. Norris?" he whispered eagerly.

"The water. . ." Harry said slowly. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection . . . ."

"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" said Ron. "A giant snake . . . Someone would've seen. . ."

"Pipes," I said, pointing at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page. "Pipes . . ., it's been using the plumbing."

Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely.

"What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in - Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, "said Harry.

"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing.

"Should we go straight to McGonagall?" I ask.

"Let's go to the staff room," said Harry, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break."

We ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, we went straight into the deserted staff the bell to signal break never came. Instead, echoing through the corridors come Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please. "

"Not another attack? Not now?" I say.

"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"

"No," said Harry, glancing around. There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to our left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out."From between the musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. `Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. "'

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall. I felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside us. The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild moment, I was hoping it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming.

"So sorry - dozed off - what have I missed?" He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I - well, I -"sputtered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall -"

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape.

Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.

"I - I really never - you may have misunderstood -"

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall.

"Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by youself. A free rein at last."

"V-very well," he said. "I'll - I'll be in my office, getting getting ready." And he left the room.

Harry, myself and Ron went back to the common room shortly after the teacher left the staffs office. It was probably the worst day of my entire life. I, Harry Ron, Fred, and George sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other. Percy wasn't there. He had gone to send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then shut himself up in his afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor had Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable to sit there any longer.

"She knew something," said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room. "That's why she was taken. It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all. She'd found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was -" Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. "I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."

"I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there." I tell them.

Darkness was falling as we walked down to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it. We could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps. The door was open so we entered.

"Are you going somewhere?" said Harry.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up. "Urgent call - unavoidable - got to go-"

"What about my sister?" said Ron jerkily.

"Well, as to that - most unfortunate -" said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I -"

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" I said, surprised and angry. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"

"Well - I must say - when I took the job -" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "nothing in the job description - didn't expect -"

"You mean you're running away?" said Harry disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books -"

"Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.

"You wrote them!" Harry shouted.

"My dear boy," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Harry.

"Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on -"

"So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" said Harry incredulously_. I knew he was a fraud and no one believed me._ I thought.

"Harry, Harry," said Lockhart, shaking his head impatiently, "it's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms."

He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them.

"Let's see," he said. "I think that's everything. Yes. Only one thing left."

He pulled out his wand and turned to us.

"Awfully sorry, boys, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book -"

"Expelliarmus!" I was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window. "Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one" I say.

"What do you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wand point. "We think we know where it is. And what's inside it. Let's go."

We marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.

"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Harry. "What do you want this time?"

"To ask you how you died," said Harry.

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I was hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then -" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died."

"How?" said Harry.

"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. Over there by the sink."

We ran to the sink she pointed. It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Harry saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.

"That tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly as Harry tried to turn it.

"Harry," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."

Harry hissed something and then the sink to remove a large, long hole. "I'm going down there," Harry said.

"So are we" said Ron.

There was a pause.

"Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile. "I'll just -" He put his hand on the door knob, but the three of us pointed our wands at him.

"You can go first," Ron snarled as we managed to put him towards the entrance.

"I really don't think -" he started to say, but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. Harry followed quickly. I was next and lastly, Ron.

The pipe was dark and slimy and went way deeper than the dungeons. Suddenly, I landed in a damp floor with bones everywhere.

"We must be miles under the school," said Harry, his voice echoing in the black tunnel.

"Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls.

"Remember," Harry said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement close your eyes right away."

But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull. We kept walking and found a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.

"Blimey," said Ron weakly.

There was a sudden movement behind us. Gilderoy Lockhart's knees had given way.

"Get up," said Ron sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart. Lockhart got to his feet - then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground. Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face.

"The adventure ends here, boys!" he said. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body - say good-bye to your memories!"

He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "Obliviate!"

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Ron and I were the closest to him so we were thrown backwards. The room began to shake and the next moment, we were gazing at a solid wall of broken rocks.

"Ron! Anthony! " Harry shouted. "Are you okay?"

"We are here!" said Ron's muffled. "We are okay - this git's not, though - he got blasted by the wand."

"Hello. Who are you?" Lockhart asked Ron and I. "Um… Ron Weasley and Anthony Black."

"Okay, and uh- who, who am I?" Lockhart asked.

"Lockhart's charm backfired; he hasn't got a clue of who he is." Ron yelled to Harry. Ron nervously took a rock, looked at me, and then hit Lockhart head, knocking him out.

"What now?" I asked.

"Wait here and try to get some of these rocks so we can get back through. I will go and try to find Ginny." Harry said.

Ron and I began to remove rocks, which were cutting our hands. We were shifting rocks while Lockhart lays on the floor, motionless. First time he could be actually useful for the first time in the year, and he is unconscious. How ironic. We continued like this, for what seems like hours.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"

Ron pulled Ginny through a hole we made in the wall and hugged her."You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened?" How - what - where did that bird come from?"

Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny. "He's Dumbledore's," Harry explained.

"How come you've got a sword?" I said, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand.

"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Harry.

I glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever. "It's all right." I say, walking to her. "I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and - w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"

"They will say that they are happy to see you safe and alive." I assure her. "You could have told me, you know? That day, in the common room."

"I was afraid." she says, with broken voice. Seeing her like this, all scared and sad, breaks my heart. I give her a reassuring hug, and she hugs me back. We break the hug, and look at Ron and Harry, who just looked uncomfortable.

"Where's Lockhart?" Harry asks.

"He's in a bad way. Come and see." I tell him. We walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself" Ron says.

Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe. "Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?"

Ron shook his head but the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold." I say.

The bird grabbed hold of Lockhart's robes, Ron grabbed his waist and I grabbed his (uncomfortable, I know). Harry grabbed one of my legs and took Ginny by the waist and we began to fly. I could hear Lockhart dangling above me, saying, and "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" Later we landed on Moaning Myrtle´s bathroom. All of us went to McGonagall's office and waited for the door to open. Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!"

It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter. Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. Fawkes went whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as I found myself, Ron and Harry being swept into Mrs. Weasleys tight embrace.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.

Harry started telling them everything. For nearly a quarter of an hour he spoke into the rapt silence. Once he was done talking about it, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Professor McGonagall left. Dumbledore said that Ginny wouldn't be expelled and I felt a wave of relief. I was worried she would be expelled.

"I seem to remember telling you three that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules" said Dumbledore. Ron opened his mouth in horror.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You three will receive Special Awards for Services to the School and - let me see - yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor." Ron went as briglitly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.

"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

"Professor Dumbledore," I said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart -"

"Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"

"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."

"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron and I. "I'd like a few more words with Harry."

Ron and I each took one arm of Lockhart and drag him out. After leaving the hospital wing, Ron and I went to the feast. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. The doors flew open and Hermione came in.

"You solved it! You solved it!" she screamed and hugged the three of us. I noticed our hug lasted more than the others. Hagrid turned up at half past three, thanking us. Our 600 points secured the Gryffindor the House Cup for the second year running. McGonagall also told us that exams were being cancelled, much to Hermione's disappointment. And Ginny was perfectly happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny and I got a compartment to ourselves. We made the most of the last few hours in which we were allowed to do magic before the holidays. We played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Harry and I were getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny - what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well - Percy's got a girlfriend." Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was - you know - attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday, had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.

The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped. Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron, Hermione and I.

"This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it three times, tearing the parchment in parts, and handing it to us. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer - he'll know. I guess you could figure out how it works, Tony. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to."

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as wegot off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious."

And together we walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.

_So... a book ends, just for another to begin. Sadly, I wont be able to update as often as I used to. School begins on Monday (on Mexico), *kneels on the floor and cryslooking at the sky.* so I wont have time to make regular updates. But, dont worry, I will always find time for you. And now, as you can notice, I have decided to make Tony and Ginny´s relationship more like brother/sister. You now, Ginny would be the sister Anthony never had, and the onther way around for Ginny. It will show more later in the story. Anyway, I hope you liked the story, so far._

_Dont forget to leave a review, saying what you think, giving me some ideas for the story, saying whatever you want. I will see you soon, probably tomorrow, that would be my last update before school. Love you guys,_

_-Lobo Sombra _


	20. The Meeting

**The Prisoner of Azkaban**

Chapter 20

My eyes flutter open, and it took me a few minutes to adjust to the darkness. I pushed myself onto my elbows and looked around the room. I spotted a flashlight and took it. I change into my usual outfit, jeans, trainers and a blue t-shirt with a black sweatshirt. I find THE letter and grab it. It's from my father.

_Dear Cygnus,_

_Please meet me at midnight, today, at the bus stop, two blocks away from you aunt's house. I want and I will explain everything. Come alone, and don't tell anyone that I send you this. Yours,_

_Sirius Black_

I slowly open the door, making sure that my uncles are asleep. I go downstairs, trying to make minimum noise as I walk. I go to the yard and see Shadow sleeping, so I wake her. "It's time for a walk." I tell her in a low whisper. She seems to understand because her tail begins to shake, excitedly. I put her leash and leave the house.

I trot to our meeting spot, looking around seeing if someone was following me. Everything is so quiet, the streets were deserted. I glance at my watch, the one that my aunt gave two years ago, and see that is 12 o'clock. _Where is he?_ The minute's pass and I regret coming out of the house. I should have known this was some kind of joke. It was so stupid, obeying a letter, anyone could have written it.

I was about to go when I heard someone or something moving to my left. I turn and point with the flashlight in the direction the noise came from. I see it is something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. Something was bounding toward me, quiet as a shadow - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog. I could hear Shadow growling stepping in front of me, in a somewhat protective position. Then she suddenly stops, sits and starts moving her tail. I glance at her, perplex and turn my attention to the dog. The only problem is that there is no longer a dog, there is now a man standing in front of me.

He is looking gaunt, with elbow length, matted and tangled hair. He also hassunken face, shadowed eyes and waxy white skin. He is tall, 5, 9 ft. almost 6, maybe.I stare at the eyes for ages. Those are the same eyes I have watched in my reflection in the mirror for years. His eyes, my eyes, are the same. Could it be possible? How he escaped from Azkaban? I take a step forward and ask the question is been on my mind since he sent me the letter.

"Dad? Is that you?"

"Cygnus?" he says, with hoarse voice. "Is it really you?" I nod.

He opens his mouth but nothing comes out of it. I can't take it anymore, I run towards him, and give him a hug, as if he was going to disappear in any moment. He hugs me back tightly, as if making sure I'm real. Tears come streaming down my face, one after another, and I don't try to stop them. I could finally see him, touch him, and talk to him. When we finally broke our hug, he was the first one who talked.

"Look at you" he says, touching my face and my arms. "Look how you've grown over the years. I can't believe such a handsome lad like you is my son."

"Thank you" I say, smiling. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"I know, it's been a long time since we last saw each other. 12 years to be more precise."

"Why? Why did you leave me with my aunt? What happened 12 years?" I ask him.

"That is a long story, you better take a seat." He tells me and I sit on the sidewalk. "But we will have to go a little further on the time. On my Hogwarts years I meet James Potter, Harry's dad, Remus Lupin, your godfather, and Peter Pettigrew. We called ourselves Prongs, Moony, Wormtail and Padfoot, we were also called as the Marauders, but that is another story. We were four best friends. Years passed and we kept in touch. When we heard that Voldemort was after Harry, we made a promise that we would protect him, but someone broke that promise. Peter Pettigrew.

"I was supposed to be the Secret-Keeper , but I told Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me... I'm to blame, I know it... The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. He sold James and Lily to the Dark Lord, not me. He spread the rumor that I was the protector of the secret of James and Lily location, when the reality it was him. I admit that I followed him, and when I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him for betray, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself – and sped down into the sewer with the other rats."

"Peter is and animagus?"

"Yes, just like me, he can transform into the shape of an animal. He changes into a rat and I into a dog."

"Why did you end up on Azkaban?" I say, confused.

"After Peter killed the muggles, the only thing they found of him was his toe. They accused me of murdering twelve muggles and Peter."

"So you are innocent?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, and Peter is alive."

"How do you know that?"

He put one of his clawlike hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show me. It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"How did you get this?" I asked him, thunderstruck.

"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban a few days ago, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder... I knew him at once... how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts... to where you and Harry were...

"My God," I say softly, staring at the picture. "His front paw..."

"He's got a toe missing," said Black.

"Of course" I breathed. "So simple... so brilliant... he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said my father."The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"Scabbers is… Peter?"

"Yes."

I need a minute to process everything he has said to me. He didn't abandon me; he was falsely accused of murder. Now everyone thinks he is a criminal, when he is not, he is innocent and wants revenge. But how is he going to get revenge? I look to Scabbers/ Peter with Ron. When I realize how big the problem is. Ron is in danger he got and murderer as a pet. Should I warn him?

"What should I do? My friend is in danger."

"Don't do anything; I will take care of it."

"How?"

"I will travel to Hogwarts and I need your help. I want you to help me sneak into the castle."

"But how?" I repeat.

"We will manage"

"How will I find you? Or pass you information."

"She" he says, pointing to Shadow. "She will know how to find me. You have a very intelligent dog"

"Okay" I whisper as I stand up. "I will help."

"Thank you." He tells me. "And remember no matter what you read on the newspaper or what you hear other people saying, everything is a lie. My version of the story is the true. You have to believe me."

"Of course I believe you. Why would my own father lie to me?" I say smiling, he smile too. He comes close to me and kisses my head.

"We will see each other soon. Okay?" I nod and he transforms back into a dog. He barks, happily, and trots to the north. I go back to my aunt's house quietly, not making a sound, go to my bed and fall asleep with the image of my dad in my mind.

Next morning, I open my eyes and hear my aunt yelling at me, asking me to go downstairs. Yawning, I got up from the bed obey her order. She looked worried, I don't know why. Without a word she handed me the Daily Prophet of today. On the front page there was a picture of the man I knew too well. **_Have you seen this wizard_** was the headline. **_Sirius black escaped from Azkaban_** was another.

"How?" I said, acting normal. Now that I think of it, I never asked him how he escaped from Azkaban.

"I don't know, but I have no doubt he will come after you. Pack you things you are leaving."

"Leaving? Where?"

"To the Leaky Cauldron. He won't find you there. Don't worry they accept pets." she says, hurried. If she only knew that he has already found me and spoke to me. He takes the piece of paper out of my hands and go upstairs.

I had just packed everything that was necessary, ready to go. For the rest of the summer, which was only three days, I would be staying in the Leaky Cauldron. My aunt told me she would stay in the house, making sure HE wasn't trying to look for me. I took her hand with the leash of Shadow and my trunk when I was ready and appeared in the Leaky Cauldron. She gave me a quick kiss and hug and disappeared.

"Um… hello" I said to the man behind the counter, who is reading the Daily Prophet. "I need a room for the next three days."

"Yes, here is your room key." he says, as he leaves the newspaper in the counter. He stares at me then looks to the photo in the Daily Prophet and back to me. If he wants to say anything, he doesn't. "I am Tom, by the way, if need anything just let me know."

I nod and go upstairs half running, half walking. Maybe he saw the similarities between me and father, I hope not. The last thing I need is people asking me questions about my father. Especially, when they don't he had a son. Not many people made the connection of our surnames. I took my example of the Daily Prophet and stated reading.

**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**

_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today._

_"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."_

_Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis._

_"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it-who'd believe him if he did?"_

_While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. _

Apparently, my dad I mad. He seemed pretty sane to me. I was still sitting in my bed with Shadow after reading the newspaper when I heard a lot of noise coming from the room next door. I got up and walked out of my room to the room next to mine and knocked on the door.

"Would you keep it down? I am trying to read." I yell as the door flew open. "Harry?"

_Well, here it is, the beggining of the Prisoner of Azkaban. Now you may be like, "Why did he meet him?" or "You have ruined the entire trama of the book! There will be no suspense, anymore." And such. Now, in many fanfics I have noticed that the son/daughter of Sirius shuts him away and is like "Oh I dont want to know anything about him" or "I hate him for abandoning me" and things like that. So, I did it this way to make it different. Yes, I explained everything that really happened, because would not you like to know why your father left you with your aunt? I would. Anyway I hope you arent mad beacuse of my decision. I love you guys, see you next time._

_-Lobo Sombra_


	21. Leaky Cauldron

Chapter 21

"Harry. Why did you tell me you were staying here?" I said.

Well, the thing is…" then Harry told the story about how he blew up his aunt. I burst laughing in the middle of the tale. I couldn't help it, it was so absurd. "It isn't funny, I could have been expelled." he said.

"Of course it's funny." I laughed. Harry gave up and laughed too. "What were you doing here?" I ask, peaking into his room, it has little pieces of paper everywhere.

"Well, I got my Monster Book of Monsters for Care of Magical Creatures class. I wanted to take a look at it, but it turns out that book has teeth and tried to eat me, so I had to put the lock back on. It's harder than it sounds." He told me.

"That reminds me that I have to but my school stuff. Want to come with me?" I say.

"Sure thing"

We went back to the Leaky Cauldron where was Shadow waiting for me, I pulled out my wand and tapped the bricks. Once they moved we went to Flourish and Blotts. Making sure Shadow didn't followed us inside the store. "What books do you need?" said the manager.

"Monster Book, Intermediate Transfiguration, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three, Ancient Runes Made Easy and Rune Dictionary."

Harry and I emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later, with my new books. Once I bought everything we decided to look around. Shadow got bored while she was waiting, so she left to explore the alley on her own. Harry dragged me to Quality Quidditch Supplies store to take a look at the new broom, Firebolt. I suggested Harry that he should buy it but he said it was probably too expensive and that he had never lost a game in his Nimbus 2000. I drop the subject even when I know that Harry could buy one for him and the rest of the Quidditch team of Gryffindor. Uncle Remus once told me the Potters were a wealthy family. Heck, I could buy one with the Black fortune in Gringotts. Hermione and the Weasleys appeared the week on the last day of holidays.

"Harry, Tony!" yelled Ron. They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. We sat down with them.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry, while Ron and I roared with laughter. "I just - lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol -"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers."

He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. I went stiff when I saw it. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers. It was Egypt or maybe the news that my father escaped.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl,"

So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants. Of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages. I waited outside, not wanting to be near that "rat". Ron and Harry came out so we made our way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie.

As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.

"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.

"Herinione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"Forget about Scabbers, cats and dogs hate each other. I wouldn't be surprised if Shadow killed Crookshanks. She is here with me." I interrupt.

"You forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand, completely ignoring me. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory, Scabbers in Ron's, and Shadow in yours what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as we set off toward the Leaky found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily prophet.

"Harry! Tony!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

Fine, thanks," said Harry for both of us. Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and I saw the familiar picture of my father staring up at him.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asked.

"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money -"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, You mark my words."

I gulped. I don't want my father to go back to Azkaban. I was getting pretty uncomfortable with this conversation. Sirius Black is my father after all, they probably know that, they just have to look at picture carefully and find our similarities. The eyes, the hair, I look just like him. My surname says it all, they have to think we are related or way or another. Maybe, and probably they know, its just that no one is brave enough to say it out loud.

At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

Fred and George greeted me as usual, Percy shake my hand, it was very weird. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor. I gave Ginny a hug and asked how she was and she said "good" while staring over at Harry. Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him, perhaps because he had saved her life during our previous year at Hogwarts

"Harry. How nice to see you." Said Percy.

"Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh.

I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands.

"Very well, thanks -"

"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply.

"Simply splendid to see you, old boy -"

"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy scowled.

"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum!" said Fred as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand too. "How really corking to see you -"

"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley. I couldn't help but laugh at the twins.

"I'm going up to change for dinner..." Percy said. He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry and I. "But Mum spotted us."

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and I ate our way through five delicious courses. After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. I noticed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were discussing something important, so I was about to leave when I heard Harry´s name.

"Shhh", Tony. Come over here." It was Harry. Together we listened.

"-makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and -"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"

"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Harry, Ron and Anthony are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry and Tony mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."

"But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point…"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after."

"But Harry and Anthony will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts." Mrs. Weasley said.

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

_You are right Mr. Weasley, especially when someone is helping him to get into the castle. His own son is going to help him._ I thought. They went on and on about how my father was angry that Harry defeated Voldemort and that is why he is after him. I don't buy anything of this, it sound like something the Ministry would say.

"It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..." Mr. Weasley said. Harry and I moved quickly so we weren't in sight of them when they climbed the stairs.

"I wonder what Sirius Black wants with you. I understand why he wants me, but why you?"

I just stare at him. _Don't you see?_ I want to tell him. I sighed and went to my bedroom not daring to give him an answer.

_So here it is another chapter, as promised. Almost nothing interesting happens in this chapter, but I am 100% confident that the later chapter will be better. School, is not that bad (thankfully), at least for now. Well, hope you have enjoyed the chapter, and dont forget to leave a review. Love,_

_-Lobo Sombra_


	22. The Dementor

Chapter 22

Tom woke me the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. I got dressed and headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly.

Soon the Ministry cars picked us up and took us the Kings Cross station and we were running through the barrier. When we got to the train Harry, Ron and Hermione were in front of me. I was walking behind them with Shadow by my side when someone pulled me to an empty compartment, including Shadow.

"What are you doing, Draco?" I asked to the pale blonde who, unfortunately, happens to be my cousin.

"I wanted to talk to you alone."

"About what?" I say, coolly. Ever since he called Hermione _'Mudblood'_ we hadn't been on good terms.

"I don't things to be like they were last year. You are right; I shouldn't have insulted your friends." Well that was as good as an apology. It was the only thing I was going to get from him.

"It's alright." I say, giving him a mid-hug. "Just don't be a git."

"I will try." He smirked. When I was about to leave the compartment Draco and I were in, the train stopped. We looked at each other confused. All the lamps were out and we were on complete darkness. Shadow started to bark until she started to whimper. What is she afraid of? It began to get very cold and windows frost. A black hooded figure went down the aisles towards the area Harry and the rest went.

"Stay here." I ordered Draco. There was only one thing that figure could be. A dementor. Maybe it was time to use the spell my uncle Remus told me once that drives the dementors away. I ran towards the dementor and yelled "_Expecto Patronum_" but I want the only one who cast the spell. Silvery thing come out my wand and the stranger's making the dementor go away. Once the dementor was gone I realized who it was.

"Uncle Remus, what are you doing here?" I said, stepping over a passed out Harry to hug him.

"I am the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. I wanted to surprise you. By the way, I didn't think that you would remember that spell." He said, hugging me back

"I didn't remember until a few moments ago." I admit.

"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Hermione said, slapping his face.

"W - what?" Harry opened his and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked Remus began breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help.

"What was that thing?" Harry asked.

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban looking for Sirius Black." His eyes flashed to me when he said my father's name. I looked away. "Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me." He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Do you know him, Tony?" Harry asked, eating his chocolate.

"That my uncle Remus." I tell him, taking a seat next to him.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.

"I Don't get it... What happened?" said Harry, wiping sweat off his face.

"Well - that thing - the dementor - stood there and looked around I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face - and you – you… I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching."

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione," and he muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it. Anthony ran in and did it too. Finally, the dementor turned around and sort of glided away. "

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again."

We didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, I could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when we climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. Since last year Harry, Ron and I arrive in a flying car this was our first ride in the stagecoaches.

We got out of the car and entered the Great Hall. I sat with Ron and Harry and Hermione across from us. After the sorting, Dumbledore stood up to speak.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Harry, Hermione, Ron and I clapped the loudest.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed.

We joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, UP more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower's large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

We climbed that stairs, we reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds and fell asleep.

When Harry, Ron, Hermione and I entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

"Ignore him," said Hermione. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"

Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley. I sat between Harry and Ron and Hermione sat across from us.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing then, over. "What's up with you, Harry?"

"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table. George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came runing into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself. He was babnlimg about something that someone ordered him," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those dementors..."

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking... They suck the happiness out of a place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

Once again I get uncomfortable with the discussion. Every time someone mention Azkaban or my father, my stomachs flops in ill-at-ease way.

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

Hermione was examining her new schedule.

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily. I look at my schedule. Ancient runes is my first class. Classroom 6A is where Study of Ancient Runes classes are taught. It is located on the sixth floor, next to the classroom 6B. It's quiet far, so I better get going.I eat the rest of my breakfast and wave the rest of them good goodbye. I arrive in time, the class started one minute later. The teacher presented herself as Bathsheda Babbling. She explained us that runes can be easily confused and that we have to be very careful when we read one. The class continues, and the more I hear about it, the more I like it. At the end of the class I left pleased.

My next class was Transfiguration. I meet Harry, Ron and Hermione there and all of them looked like they were in bad mood. "What happened?" I asked Hermione when I sat next to her. "I will explain later." she whispered. She was teaching us about Animagi and she turned herself into a cat.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. I was still confused. Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and -"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

Everyone stared at her.

"Me," said Harry, finally.

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -"

Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney -"

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Hermione and I laughed. Professor McGonagall was joking for the Transfiguration class had finished, we joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch. I was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for our first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

For one nasty moment, I thought that Hagrid was going to lead us into the forest. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it – make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight. I stroke the spine of book and it fell open. Trotting toward us were a dozen of creatures. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. A hippogriff. What a way to start the first class, I would never have imagined this. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer -"

No one seemed to want to. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I, however, approached the fence cautiously.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right - who wants ter go first?"

Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione and I had misgivings. "No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.

"I'll do it," said Harry, stepping forward.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. "Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink... Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much."

I watched as Harry bowed to the Hippogriff. Just as I thought I would attack Harry, it bowed too.

"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Harry moved slowly toward the hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.

"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!"

He picked Harry up and put him on Buckbeaks' back. "An' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..." roared Hagrid, slapping the hippogriffs hindquarters and it took of flying. When Harry came back to the ground everyone clapped.

"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"

"I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" Malfoy said to the hippogriff, walking towards him. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

"Draco, don't" I yelled, trying to pull him away. It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes. I looked down at my right arm, it was bleeding heavily too.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me - gotta get him outta here -"

Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.

"You should go to the hospital wing too. Your arm looks bad too." said Hermione.

"Alright" I said, walking over to the castle. Madam Promfrey took care of my arm and everything was fine. She told me I should use bandages for the next few days and I would have a scar. I didn't mind the scar. Scars show bravery. That afternoon in the hospital wing, Shadow came to visit me. She walked to where I was, with something in her mouth. It was a ball of paper. I unfold it and read what its inside.

**_What's Gryffindor's password?_**

It was from my father. I looked around and saw that no one was watching and wrote: **_'Fortuna Major'._** I folded the piece of paper, kneeled and whispered in Shadows' ear.

"Give this to Sirius." She seemed to understand. She took the paper out of my hands with her snout, and walked away. I hope nobody notices the ball of paper. It would look very suspicious.

Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon; his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But I saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away. He kept complaining about how he couldn't do anything since his arm was injured. I thought he was being the Drama Queen, but Snape didn't, so he naturally made Harry and Ron do the work for him.

"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.

"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.

"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury -"

"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.

"- he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And lasting injuries like this" - he gave a huge, fake sigh - "who knows if my arm will ever the same?"

He kept that way for the rest of the class. We had lunch next and the Defense Against Dark Magic. Unfortunately, at lunch, everyone was talking about the new headline of the Daily Prophet.

"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning - they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" said Harry and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, I looked up, listening closely.

"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

"When was that?" I asked.

"A few days ago." He says.

If that was a few days ago… and he send me the note some days ago… he must be already here. That's why he wanted the password. He is probably making plans to enter the castle, not far away from here.


	23. Flight of the Fat Lady

Chapter 23

We left the Great Hall and went to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I felt like something was missing, and realized Hermione wasn't here.

"Wait, where is Hermione?" I asked.

"She was right behind us," said Ron, frowning.

"There she is," said Harry.

Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes.

"How did you do that?" said Ron.

"What?" said Hermione, joining us.

"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh — I had to go back for something. Oh no —" A seam had split on Hermione's bag.

"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.

"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly, she picked up her books and marched off toward the classroom.

"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something? Ron asked Harry and I

Uncle Remus wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. We all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. He smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags? Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed him out of the classroom. He led us along the deserted corridor and around a corner. He led us down a second corridor and stopped, right to the staffroom door.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Uncle Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a boggart in there."

Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. I knew, he was right. He has taught me a lot of things over the years.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice. So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?"

Hermione put up her hand.

"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. "So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears."

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please ... Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully. Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Uncle Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said, "Well... always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress... green, normally... and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And You will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."

The room went quiet. I thought... _'What scared me most in the world?_ I had no idea what scared me the most. Then it came to me. What I fear the most is seeing the people I loved the most dead.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward... Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One two – three — now!"

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

"R — r — riddikulus! "squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward! "

And it went on and on. The boggart turned into everyone fears. Ron's fear, obviously, was a giant spider and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over. It was my turn next.

The giant spider turned into everyone one I loved. My aunt Andromeda, uncle Ted, uncle Remus, Tonks, Hermione, my father, Harry, all the Weasleys, even Ginny was there. They all lay face down in the floor, motionless, with a pool of blood underneath them. I fell to my knees and froze. I couldn't move, or do anything; I just stared at pale faces of each one of them. No one made any noise. They were all as shocked as I was. I somehow raised my wand and shouted "Riddikulus!".

They all started moving; slowly their arms, and then they began do push-ups. I smiled weakly, and then I started to laugh. It was so funny; I would have never imagined Hermione, Ron or Harry making exercise. I stood up and went to the back of the room.

Next turn was Harry's and was a little nervous. The last thing we need is a Voldemort in the room. The group of people who had been doing exercise began to swirl and turned into a dementor.

Uncle Remus stepped in front of Harry. The dementor turned into a full moon. Riddikulus!. Then the moon turned into a balloon and flew back to the wardrobe.

"Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarize it for me... to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

At the start of October, however, I had something else to occupy me something so enjoyable. The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season. Surprisingly, Alicia decided to leave the team, saying that I was better than her. Giving me her spot, on the team.

Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice a's he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.

"This is our last chance — my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it."

"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year" Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best-ruddy-team-in-the-school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. "We've got three superb Chasers."

Wood pointed at Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and I.

"We've got two unbeatable Beaters."

"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George together, pretending to blush.

"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.

"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry and Anthony joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."

Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish the teams wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.

Harry and I returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, to find the room buzzing excitedly.

"What's happened?", Harry asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."

"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

Halloween came and it was the first trip to Hogsmeade. I put some jeans, a t-shirt with a black leather jacket, and black sneakers. I walked to the courtyard and handed my permission to Professor McGonagall. I decided to visit it on my own. I don't want be in the middle of the fights that Hermione and Ron were having lately.

First I went to Honeydukes and I ate all kind of candies. I bought some for Harry too, since he can't come. Then I went to Zonko's joke shop and decided that was one of my favorites place on earth. I bet the twins love this place and know why. I went to Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer. As soon as I took a sip I decided it was my favorite drink of all times.

It was getting late, so went back to the common room. I found Harry sitting all by himself so I went to sit with him.

"I bought something's for you" I say, giving him a bag full of candies of Honeydukes and different products of Zonko's shop.

"So tell me, how was your trip?" he asked. I told him the shops I visited and then he told about his time with my uncle until Ron and Hermione come back. Then the four of went to the feast.

It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes.

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when we reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

I peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.

"Let me through, please," come Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password —excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and I moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed my arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sit. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when he said the password and she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

_"__He made it"_ I thought. _"He actually fooled the dementors and got in the castle."_

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..."

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him. The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry, Hermione and I; we seized four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year. "He could've flown in," suggested Seamus.

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly us.

"Probably," I say. "Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know." said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Fitch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered..."

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. I get inside the sleeping and roll to my left and see Hermione staring at me. We look at each other eyes, until she breaks the silence.

"How did your father got in?" she whispers. I am shocked and confused. I am not surprised, though. I knew everyone would find out, eventually. She is so smart, I'm not surprised she discovered it first.

"How did you knew…?" I whisper.

"I have known since he escaped from Azkaban. It's not that hard to guess, you know? There aren't many Black's anymore and the two of you look the same. You both have the same grey eyes."

"I guess you are right." I murmur. "Could you keep as a secret?"

"Of course, you secret is safe with me." She says, in a low tone. "What does your father want?"

"I don't know." I lie. Revenge could be a good answer too, but of course I am telling her that. I hate lying to Hermione, I wish I could tell her the truth, but I know she would probably tell the teachers and that would ruin everything.

"Is he dangerous?" she asks, sounding scared. I move my sleeping bag closer to hers until where are a few inches apart.

"I don't think he is dangerous. " I assure her. She thinks it for a moment and nods. She rolls to the other and I begin to stroke her hair. I don't know why or where I got the guts to do it, I just did it. I hear her sigh, but she doesn't pull my hand away. I keep stroking her hair until I know she is asleep for sure.

"He won't touch you." I say to a Hermione asleep. "I promise."

So here we have another beautiful chapter. A have a few things to say. First of all the boggart, I was sure of what would Anthony be afraid of, so I put what I am afraid of. Seeing the people I care the most dead. After debating for some days, I choose him to have the same fear than I because he is such a loyal guy, seeing them dead would break him. Secondly, I know it the books says that Sirius did not got in beacuse he hadnt got the passwaord, well in this case the Fat Lady didnt let him in beacause he wasnt a student. I think that is everything, thank you for taking your time and reading my story. I love you guys, hope we see each other soon again.

-Lobo Sombra

P.S. :Tony and Hermione are so cute!


	24. The Three Broomsticks

Chapter 24

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of our next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub. I have to admit, it was somewhat entertaining to hear the theories. Most of them didn't have sense.

The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony. Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.

The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch, Harry's personal caretaker. Then, at our final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.

"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told us, looking very angry. "Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."

"Why?" chorused the rest of the team.

"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances..."

There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, we heard a distant rumble of thunder.

"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" said Harry furiously. "He's faking it!"

"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly, "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory —"

Angelina, Katie suddenly giggled.

"What?" said Wood, frowning at this lighthearted behavior.

"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.

"Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again.

"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently. "I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"

"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"

"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."

The day before the match, I was talking to my uncle Remus before Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Are you sure you can't teach today?" I ask him.

"I am sure. The full moon is tomorrow. You know how I get." I nod. He was looking pale and thin. I understand.

"I know, it just that I kind of hope you would see me on the match" I say, disappointed.

"I was looking forward to it also, it will be next time. I promise. Now go to class and don't be rude with Snape." he says.

"I don't promise you anything." I tell him before leaving to class. I can't believe Snape is filling in for him.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I—" said Harry… But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."

But Harry didn't move.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" he said.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"

Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"

"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Seamus boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I ,Would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss —"

"Werewolves," said Snape. He smirked at me. My jaw dropped. What is he trying to do? Put him on evidence?

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks —"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air.

"Anyone? I am surprised you don't know, Mr. Black." Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on —"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. Now I was getting mad, one thing is to speak bad of teacher and other thing is making a student cry. If he weren't a teacher, right now, I would be breaking some bones.

"You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?" I say loudly, hoping that the hate in my voice is noticeable.

"Detention, Black." Snape said silkily. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. When the bell rang at last, Snape held us back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment or, the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Black, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

I waited for everyone to leave and then went to the desk.

"You have a Quidditch match tomorrow, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

He thinks it for a moment. "That will be you punishment"

"I don't understand, sir"

"You won't play tomorrows match, as you punishment." He says, with an evil grin. I opened my mouth to complain, but he was faster. "And that is my last word, you may go now."

I leave the classroom fuming. First, he speaks badly of my uncle, then he makes Hermione cry, and now I am suspended from the Quidditch team for defending them. How ironic.

Next morning I wake up in a bad mood. Yesterday I told Wood I wouldn't play because of my detention, and he was furious with Snape. HeI left the common room and saw Neville outside.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"I forgot the password… again." he mumbled. I was about to say sorry, when an idea came to me.

"Hey, Neville, why don't you write down the passwords? It would be easier to remember and you could carry them with you." I tell him.

"That is brilliant! Thank you." He says, entering the portrait.

Poor of him, he doesn't know that I will end up stealing that piece of paper from him. I will use it to send it to my father, again. I went to the Great Hall and ate breakfast. At eleven we all went to the pitch to cheer the team. It was raining heavily.

They all mounted the broom and match started. Harry flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. I couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Thank God.

There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. I saw Harry and Cedric flying towards the sky, following the Snitch. Not even one minute later Harry came falling to the ground. Dumbledore appeared on the field and slowed Harrys fall with a spell. Then he took him to the hospital wing. Hermione, Ron and I followed him. We waited for Harry to wake up. When he did, we told him everything.

"Where is Wood?" said Harry, suddenly realizing he wasn't there.

"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly.

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron, Hermione and I moved nearer to Harry's bed.

"Did someone get my Nimbus?" he asked.

"Er – the thing is…" I start to say.

"What?" said Harry, looking from one to the other.

"Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit — it hit — oh, Harry — it hit the Whomping Willow."

"And?" he said, dreading the answer.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron hading Harry a bag full with the rests of his broken broom. "It — it doesn't like being hit."

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. We visited him every day. On Monday, Harry was released from the hospital and my uncle was back teaching again. When everyone realized it was him, they started to complain about Snape.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves' two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly. He also gave a concerned look when he found out Snape taught us about werewolves.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind he wouldn't listen —"

"—two rolls of parchment!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.

"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"

We had a very enjoyable lesson. When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Harry among us, but —

"Wait a moment, Harry," Lupin called. "I'd like a word."

Harry looked at me nervously, and I gave him a little push. "Go on" I muttered.

Later that day, Harry found us and told us he was going to have anti-dementor lessons.

Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library. Since my uncle was here, I wanted to spend the Christmas with him. My aunt agreed. I also wanted to spend Christmas here because of Hermione, but that is my little personal secret.

To everyone's delight except Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term. Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood. I kind of pity him, so I decided to stay with him.

We have been talking about talking about the broom Harry could ride when Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.

"What are you doing?" I say. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"

"We've come to give Harry a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here..."

He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue.

Harry and I followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry.

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry," he said.

Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.

"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your needs greater than ours."

"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."

"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry.

"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. "Explain, George."

He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present _THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. This map showed a set of passages I had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead —

"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger.

"There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four" — he pointed them out — "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in — completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."

"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly. "Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."

"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking. They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.

"Let's got." I say.

The passage to Honeydukes was behind the one-eyed witch. One the map, next to our location, the tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to. The word inside said, "Dissendium.". Harry said the password tapping the statue. At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person and then we crawled in. I slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. We traveled through the passenger until we found some stone steps. When we reached on the top of the stairs, we found ourselves behind the counter.

"Come on, there is hundreds of students here, no will notice you." I tell him as I peered over the counter. Then we both straighten up and began to wonder around the shop, until we find Ron and Hermione examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. We looked at each other, and silently agreed to sneak up on them.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.

"Definitely not," said Harry.

"Yeah." I say. "Pepper Imps are better, so are the Exploding BonBons."

"Harry!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How —how did you —?"

"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you two have learned to Apparate!"

I slapped the back of Ron's head.

"'Course we haven't," said Harry. He explained them about the Marauders Map.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"Course not." Harry, Ron and I said together. After much arguing Hermione let it go and we decided to go to the Three Broomstick's. Ron went to order some butterbeer, while Harry, Hermione and I found a table at the back of the room.

A sudden breeze ruffled my hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.

Hermione whispered, Mobiliarbus!" The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding us from view.

Madam Rosmerta, the owner, gave everyone their drink and sat down with them to have one herself.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice.

"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"

"Do you think Blacks still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away... It's very bad for business, Minister."

"They are here to protect you all from something much worse... We all know what Black's capable of..."

I immediately went stiff; my stomach began to flip in a bad way.

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought... I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

Finally, someone else besides thought that is very suspicious the story of my father being a murderer.

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity, "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," said Fudge. "You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta."Do you remember who his-best friend was?"

"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk and stared at me. I just looked down to the floor.

"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course – exceptionally bright, in fact - but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers -"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable! And like father, like son. Anthony Black and Harry Potter are inseparable as well."

"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Anyway, when James found out that You-Know-Who was after them, they named Black their secret-keeper, and Dumbledore told them to go hiding. James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself with his son." said Fudge. "And then, Black betrayed them. After You-Know-Who fell to little Harry Potter, Black had no choice but to run for it. Took his son to his cousin Andromeda, left him with a note saying that he thought the Ministry was after him and for Andromeda to take care of him and he just left. But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"

"It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself." said Professor McGonagall.

"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories, later -—told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, _'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?'_ And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens... All that was left of him was his finger."

I can't take it anymore. I have to get out of here. I quickly got to the door and when I was out I ran to the woods near the Shrieking Shack. I sat a few meters away from the fence. Tears come to face, and I don't stop them. I hear someone coming from behind.

"Leave me alone." I say, loudly. I don't want anyone to come near me. The person either didn't hear me or didn't care. It was now by my side, so she sat down. I turned to see who it was, and found Hermione. I am relieved its her and not Harry. I don't think I will ever be able to look at Harry at face. She puts an arm around my shoulder and I begin to cry in her shoulder as she holds me tightly.

_Here it is, another chapter. I would like to thank all of you for reading this story. We are coming close to the end and the truth will be revealed. How is everyone goignt to react? Stay turned if you want to find out. Leave a review telling me what you think, what would you like to happen, things like that. Everything is acceptable. I expect to see you soon,_

_-Lobo Sombra_


	25. The Firebolts

Chapter 25

Next morning I woke up and to found the common room that was completely empty except for Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables and Harry who was sitting by the fireplace. I sat on bottom of the stair case, away from the rest of them.

"Did you know about anything we heard yesterday?" Harry asked loudly. I know he is talking to me so I answer.

"Yes. I knew your father was best friend with my father. I was also told that he betrayed them and killed the muggles and Peter Pettigrew." I tell him, and also made emphasis of disgust when I mentioned Pettigrew.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He says, a little angry.

"I was told not to tell you. Besides, I don't think he did it. Something doesn't match up in the story." I say, hoping he believes me.

"Really? What's that?"

I think my answer for a moment. I can't tell him about Peter faking his own dead, one I would have to explain from where I got that information, two I would have to say I already spoke to my father and that was something I wasn't looking forward. So all I say is: "You will figure it out yourself, one day."

"What?"

"Don't worry, you will see." I tell him. Quiet. Everything is quiet until he speaks again.

"You know that I don't blame you, right? We are best mates. We are good okay?"

"Sure."

Later that day we went to visit Hagrid and found out the Buckbeak was sentenced to death. Hagrid was obviously upset and had been drinking. So we better left him alone.

On Christmas morning, I was woken by Harry throwing his pillow at me. "Presents!" Ron was already ripping the paper off his own presents.

"Another sweater from Mum... maroon again... see if you've got one."

Mrs. Weasley made all of us jumpers, mince pies, and fudge. I had no problem with this. My aunt sent me a letter saying I was getting too old for presents. Hope she is only joking.

"Who are those?" said Ron, pointing to two thin packages.

"This one is for you" said Harry, throwing me a present while he kept the other. My mouth fell open when I opened the gift. It was a Firebolt. My eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle, right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail.

"Who sent it to you?" said Ron in a hushed voice.

"Look and see if there's a card," said Harry. Ron ripped apart the Firebolt's wrappings.

"Nothing! Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?"

"Well," said Harry, feeling stunned, "I'm betting it wasn't the Dursleys."

"I can't believe this," Harry muttered, running a hand along the Firebolt, while Ron sank onto Harry's bed, laughing his head off at the thought of Malfoy. "Who -?"

"I know," said Ron, controlling himself, "I know who it could've been - Lupin!"

"What?" said Harry, now starting to laugh himself "Lupin? Listen, if he had this much gold, he'd be able to buy himself some new robes. No offense, Tony."

"None taken. He is not ashamed of being poor."

"Who sent you that?" asked Hermione as she entered our room.

"No idea," said Harry. "There wasn't a card or anything with it."

Hermione did not appear either excited or intrigued by the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip.

"What's the matter with you?" said Ron.

"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it? It must've been really expensive. Well... who'd send Harry and Tony something as expensive as that, and not even tell him they'd sent it?" said Hermione.

"Who cares?" said Ron impatiently. "Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?"

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly. We looked at each other and ignored her.

We all went to Christmas feast with only three other students. "Where is Lupin?" Harry asked me while eating.

"Uhh, he is ill again." I say, sounding casual. When we were done Hermione didn't follow, she said she had to speak to Professor McGonagall.

After sitting on the common room Hermione and McGonagall walked in. She picked up both, Harry and mine Firebolts and Hermione went to the corner and hid her face in a book.

"I am afraid I will to take these." said McGonagall.

"What? Why?" Harry and I yelled.

"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down -"

"Strip it down?" repeated Ron, as though Professor McGonagall was mad.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free." Then she turned on her heels and left with our brooms.

"What did you go running to McGonagall for? Ron hissed Hermione. Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.

"Because I thought - and Professor McGonagall agrees with me – that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

I knew that Hermione had meant well, so couldn't be angry with her. She was only looking out for us. I was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt now, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests?

Classes started again the next day. I was anxious because I wanted to see my uncle. At the end of the class Harry reminded my uncle about his anti-dementor lessons.

"Yes, Anthony, may you come here?" said my uncle so I joined them. "Will you join us for the dementor lessons? I know you did a patronus on the train and I would like to see if you could do it again."

"Sure." I tell him.

"Good. Let me see... how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough... I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this... We can't bring a real dementor into the castle to practice on..."

At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Harry and I left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom. My uncle was lifting a heavy trunk behind Professor Binn's desk.

"What's that?" said Harry.

"Another boggart," said Lupin, stripping off his cloak.

"So..." Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand, and indicated that Harry and I should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, Harry - well beyond ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm."

"How does it work?" said Harry nervously, looking at me.

"Well, when it works correctly, It conjures up a Patronus," said Lupin, "which is a kind of anti- dementor - a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the dementor."

"But I must warn you, Harry, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it. That is why Anthony is here. He managed to do it once, let's see if he can do it again."

"What does a Patronus look like?" said Harry curiously.

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it." I say.

"Alright, let's get started." My uncle said. Now I had to show Harry how to conjure a patronus. Harry had to stand in front of the boggart while I stood behind of the trunk. My patronus ended looking like a big wolf. My uncle told me that our patronus would take form of our inner animal. Cool. Harry eventually made the spell right, but it wasn't strong enough.

Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly. According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. He therefore increased the number of team practices to five a leek.

January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. The match against Ravenclaw was drawing nearer and nearer, and we haven't heard anything of our broom. Finally, Professor McGonagall gave us our brooms. Harry and I were walking to the common room when we found Neville outside.

"I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!"

_"__Shadow"_, I instantly thought. "_She must have taken them. Round one failed, let's see how round two works." _

"A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Harry and me: "Good even, my fine young yeomen! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"

"Oh, shut up," I said as me and Harry drew level with Neville.

"I've lost the passwords!" Neville told us miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"

"Oddsbodikins," said Harry to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room.

"You know what - we should make up with Hermione... She was only trying to help..." I say to Harry, as we enter the common room.

"Yeah, all right," said Harry. Harry, Ron and I approached her table and at last, she looked up.

"We got it back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.

"Well - there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"

"Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "We better put it upstairs."

"I'll take them!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase. Then a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder – and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.

"Ron, what -?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like -

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N - no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Hermione, Harry and I leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.

It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship, and Harry and I were stuck in the middle. Each was so angry with the other that I couldn't see how they'd ever make up. Thankfully, Quiddutch practices kept us away from them. The Firebolts were amazing. It was better than I'd ever dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey my thoughts rather than my grip; it sped across the field at such speed that the stadium turned into a green-and-gray blur.

It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time we hit the ground again, Wood didn't have a single criticism to make, which, as George pointed out, was a first.

"I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" said Wood. "Not unless - Harry, you've sorted out your dementor problem, haven't you?"

"Yeah," said Harry with a little concern. His patronus wasn't very strong yet.

"I will help you, if they come near you." I whisper to him.

"Thanks."

"I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Harry told Wood, and while the rest of the team and I headed off to the locker rooms.

The next day was the Quidditch match.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice. Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Coyle right behind him.

"Yeah, reckon so," said Harry casually.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute – in case you get too near a dementor."

"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."

The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. Everyone changed their black robes to the Quidditch robes, and I removed my wand from the pocket, and stuck it inside the T-shirt I was going to wear under the Quidditch robes. Just in case.

"You know what we've got to do," said Wood as they prepared to leave the locker rooms. "If we lose this match, we're out of the running. just - just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be okay!"

They walked out onto the field to tumultuous applause and the we kicked off and I wuickly go the Quaffle. I pass it to Katie.

"They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter and Anthony Black are flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship -"

"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor, heading for goal..."

She scored. I scored other 20 points and then a blugder come right to my head, missing by few inches. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it. Angelina scored 30 points and me other 20.

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn - Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision- balance is really noticeable in these long -"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

"Oh!" screamed Cho, pointing. I looked down. Three dementors, three tall, black, hooded dementors, were looking up Harry. Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. Instead of flying the dementors fell to the ground. How weird… Soon Harry caught the Snitch and we won.

"The dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly, when we were on the ground. "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they - er - weren't dementors," said my uncle. "Come and see - "

He lead us to the heap of black robes.

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said my uncle, smiling.

"Party! Gryffindor common room, now!" I shout and everyone cheers.

It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. I broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.

"Did you even come to the match?" he asked her.

"Of course I did," said Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."

"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food."

"I can't. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to join in."

I was about to say "_Who cares?"_ as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them -"

Hermione burst into tears. Before I could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.

"Can't you give her a break?" I asked Ron quietly.

"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry – but she'll never admit she's wrong. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."

The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning, to insist that they all go to bed. I climbed into bed, twitched the hangings of his four-poster shut to block out a ray of moonlight, lay back, and felt myself almost instantly drifting off to sleep...

"AAARRGGHH! NOOO!"

I woke as suddenly as though he'd been hit in the face. Disoriented in the total darkness, I fumbled with my hangings, I could hear movements around him, and Seamus Finnigan's voice from the other side of the room: "What's going on?"

Ron was sitting up in bed, the hangings torn from one side, a look of utmost terror on his face.

"Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!"

"What?"

"Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!"

"You sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?" said Harry.

"Look at the curtains! I tell you, he was here!"

We all scrambled out of bed; Harry reached the dormitory door first, and we sprinted back down the staircase. Doors opened behind them, and sleepy voices called after them.

"Who shouted?"

"What're you doing?"

The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. It was deserted. A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling or, dressing gowns and yawning. Boys, too, were reappearing.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly.

"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.

"Perce - Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still.

"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron - had a nightmare -"

"I'm telling you -"

"Now, really, enough's enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare -"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw -"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the Portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.

There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.

"You - you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But - but the password!"

"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. If it were for me, I'd be sleeping sweetly in my bed, but that would be very suspicious. Why the son of Sirius Black, is not worried about the fact that his father entered the castle? I would in trouble, and certainly the teacher would ask questions. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell us that he had again escaped.

Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back

Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail. I rolled my eyes every time I heard him.

Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in. I feel bad, I was the one who gave the idea to Neville.

Tomorrow was the Quidditch match against Slytherin. It was our last chance to win the cup this year. Practice hand gone pretty well, but we are nervous anyway. Back in the common room, Oliver was over in the corner discussing the plays, I was sitting near him, "listening", and Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on the other corner of the room. I turn to see what they are doing, and see Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck.

Anger swirled like a tide within me, rising to choke me. My breath became harsh and shallow, my hands automatically curling into fists at my side, itching to swing out and put a dent in the wall beside me. I felt a stab of jealousy but shoved it down brutally, before I lose control. I looked down still feeling little flickers of pain. What is happening to me? Am I... jealous? Of Ron...? Something must be bad inside me.

"Team, bed" shouted Wood. I obeyed him gladly, not wanting to speak to anyone.


	26. Revealing Secrets

Chapter 26

Next morning when the team entered the Great Hall, where we welcomed not only by the Gryffindors but also both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were applauding us too. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as we passed.

Wood spent the whole of breakfast urging his team to eat, while touching nothing himself. Then he hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so we could get an idea of the conditions. As we left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.

"Good luck, Harry!" called Cho as we left. I turned and see Harry blush.

"Ohhh, go for it Harry." I joked.

"Shut it." He said, blusing more.

Wood paced the field, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, we saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn.

"Locker rooms," said Wood tersely. None of us spoke as we changed into our scarlet robes. And in no time, we were on the field. Threequarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon us.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Black, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years –"

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's Made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill –"

More boos from the Slytherin crowd. I, however, thought Lee had a point. Malfoy was easily the smallest person On the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Angeilna! Argh, no – Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing UP the field – WHAM! – nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by –Black, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Anthony – nice swerve around Montague – duck, Anthony, that's a Bludger!- HE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

I punched the air as I soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight

"OUCH!"

I was nearly thrown from my broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into me. I touch my lip, its bleeding.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see him!"

A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Angelina flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Angelina!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

"'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass – very difficult indeed – YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession – no!

Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field - THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING –"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way –"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

It was turning into the dirtiest game I had ever played in. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit me with his club and tried to say he'd thought I was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor. Then I scored again, making it fifty-ten.

Fred and George Weasley were swooping around me, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge.

"Cover Wood." I yell but it's too late.

Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.

"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"

And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle Out of his hands; I seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal – seventy-ten.

Horrified, I looked around. Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of Harrys Firebolt tail, and was pulling it back.

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B –"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoys direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.

Katie took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet.

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"

I looked around. Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper – they were all going to block her –

I wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low I was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins.

"AAAAAAARRRGH!"

They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's Way was clear.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty Points to twenty!"

"Come on, Harry!" Everyone was yelling as Harry flew towards the Snitch. He leaped from his broom and caught the Snitch.

"Yes." I screamed. Harry held his hand high in the air the and the crowd roared with screams. When Harry landed the whole team gathered and screamed "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!"

Everyone one the stands were now on the field and hosting the team on their shoulders. There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag. Hermione and Ron beamed in joy as the crow took us to the stands where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.

The euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry.

Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels).

Harry, Ron and I had given up asking Hermione how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but we couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:

Monday

9 o'clock, Arithmancy

9 o'clock, Transfiguration

Lunch264

1 o'clock, Charms

1 o'clock, Muggle Studies

"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er – are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."

"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.

"No," said Hermione shortly.

Our last exam was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Uncle Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of us had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where we had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

"Excellent, Tony," Lupin muttered as Iclimbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."

Harry got full marks too. Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.

"Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"

"P – P – Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh – she said I'd failed everything!"

It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When we did, we headed back to the castle. After changing our robes to into regular clothes, meaning jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt, to wander the grounds, we found Fudge on the steps going to Hagrid´s Hut.

"Lovely day, pity... pity.." said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. He sighed deeply. "I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.

"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.

"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The hippogriff might get off!"

Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. A man with an axe came forward and pulled him aside. We had nothing to do but wait until the afternoon.

Around 3:30 Hagris send us a letter saying that we lost the appeal and we should go down.

"We've got to go," said Harry at once.

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid said when he saw us, but he stood back, and we stepped inside.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.

"I – I took him outside," said Hagrid. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' – an' smell fresh air – before"

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore –"

"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared... Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like... threatened 'em, I expect... an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's... but it'll be quick an' clean... an' I'll be beside him... "

"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it – while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter – ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore...He trailed off. "Ohh, before I forgot, Ron…" he reached a container and pulled out something.

"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?" He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabber looked dreadful.

"Ouch" said Harry, touching the back of his head. Then a pot on the table broke. I looked out the window.

"They are coming." I say seeing Dumbledore, Fudge, and behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair. Hagrid let us out the back door and then we started up the sloping lawn toward the castle.

There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.

"They did it!" Hermione whispered. "I d – don't believe it – they did it!"

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, You stupid rat? Stay still – OUCH! He bit me!"

The rat slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. Ron chased him.

"Come back, Ron." We yelled. There was a loud thud. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

Then we heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws...

Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow – an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Harry reached for his wand, but too late - the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch- long teeth –

Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm and dragged him. We had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop us going nearer.

And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots – Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight –

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again. Without thinking, I run as fast as I can, dodging the branches and ran into the hole after them. I slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel and began to walk through it. And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and then I found myself in a room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. The Shrieking Shack.

"Ron – are you okay?" I asked as Harry and Hermione came in. "Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry, it's a trap –"

"What –"

"He's the dog... he's an Animagus."

With a snap, my father in the shadows closed the door behind us. "Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at Harry and Hermione. Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Sirius caught them. I stepped in front of them.

"Dad…" I whispered

"It's good to see you again, Cygnus." He looked over my shoulder at Harry.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier..."

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron said fiercely.

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Brack, and his grin widened.

"And it going to be you!" Harry yelled and lunged forward trying to tackle my father but I stepped in front of Sirius and pointed my wand at Harry.

"Don't." I hiss. "You don't want to do anything stupid."

"Expelliarmus!" another voice shouted. My uncle's. Both my dad's and Harry's wand went flying.

"Where is he, Sirius?" My uncle asked in a very tense voice. He raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron.

"But then..." Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" – Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "—unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?"

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, my father nodded.

"Cygnus, thank you for telling me Remus was here…" my father says, sarcastically.

"Well, that's not the kind of information you write on a piece of paper. I thought someone could intercept the message. I am surprised it worked the firsts few times."

He pulled me into a hug with a smile on his face. He pulled my uncle too and we hug together.

"DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed. We broke apart. "You — you —"

"Hermione —" I start.

"-—you two and him! "

"Hermione, please, calm down —" I ask her.

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you —"

"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Remus shouted. "I can explain —"

"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now —Let me explain..."

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!"

There was a ringing silence.

"It was me." I say. "It was me the one who was helping him to get into the castle."

"How could you do this to Harry, to us, to everyone? We trusted you! You are just like your father; you sold your best friend to a murderer."

Wow, that hurts. "Hermione," I say, calmly, although I feel broke inside. "Let me explain." I made toward her.

"Get away from me!" she yelled.

I stopped dead. Looked at her in her eyes, and saw disappoint and hurt, as I made my way back next to my father.

"How long have you known?" My uncle asked her.

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay..."

"He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant... Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Lupin forced a laugh.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"Enough." I say, losing patience. "Let's kill him!"

Harry turned to me. "Anthony, we are best mates. Why you do this?"

"We are not killing you, Harry." I tell him.

"Then who?" he shouts.

"Peter Pettigrew." Said my father

"What?" said Harry. "You killed him."

"I thought so two until I saw his name on the map." my uncle said.

"The map was lying." He must have seen his name too.

"No, Harry. He is alive. That is why I helped my father get into the castle. So he could get his hands on the rat." I tell him as I look at Hermione. They need to understand.

"How did you know Peter was alive?" Harry asked me.

"I meet my father, before leaving to the Leaky Cauldron. He explained everything to me that is why I decided to help."

"And you let me believe that your father was the murderer of mines?"

"Had to. It would ruin everything if I said a word about or meeting. Besides, would you have believed me?" He shook his head. "That is what I thought. And Peter is right there" I said, pointing at Ron.

"Me? Are you out of your mind?" he gasped.

"Not you. Your rat." said my father.

"Impossible. He's been in my family for ages, right -"

"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Pretty long life for a common rat."

"We - we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"He is missing a toe, isn't he?" my father says.

"And all they could of Peter Pettigrew was his finger." Harry whispered.

"He cut it off and flew the place around." I say.

"Show me." He demanded.

I nodded and went to pick Scabbers from Ron.

So here we are, the chapter you have all been waiting for is here. Harry is about to know the thruth, but, will he forgive Anthony for lying to him? Will Hermione? What is going to happen next? You will have to wait for the next chapter. I dont think you have to wait that long, maybe I will update on Sunday so we can Prisoner of Azkaban and begin with The Goblet of Fire. I got a review some weeks ago, saying that it wouls be interesting to have Tony been picked for the Triwizard Tournament. I admit that it DID crossed my mind but, it is supposed to have 3 champions, and with Harry they have 4, so I thought that if I added Tony (that would make him a 5th champion) it would be too much, although, I want to know what do you think. Shall his name be picked for the Tournament? Let me know what you think in a review, your reviews make me so happy.

-Lobo Sombra

PS: Sorry about the earlier mistake I have alredy corrected it.


	27. Scars

Chapter 27

"Ron, give me that rat." I say.

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked me tensely.

"Force him to show himself," I said. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and I took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head.

"Ready?" I ask my uncle and my father. They nodded. "One- Two. THREE."

A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly – Ron yelled – the rat fell and hit the floor.

A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.

He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top.

"S – Sirius... R – Remus..." Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends... my old friends..."

My father wand arm rose. But I stopped him.

"No! Harry needs to know the truth, coming from him."

"I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so – " my uncle said

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at my father. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too... You've got to help me, Remus..."

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," I say harshly.

"Anthony? You were so little the last time I saw you. Don't let you father hurt me…" he whispered

"Don't talk to him!" my father snapped at him.

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can – can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.

"Well – Scabbers – I mean, this – this man – he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't YOU, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him..."

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

"Er – Mr. Black – Sirius?" said Hermione.

My father jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.

"If you don't mind me asking, how – how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

Dad was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me... but it kept me sane and knowing who I am... helped me keep my powers... so when it all became ... too much... I could transform in my cell... become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know..." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions... They could tell that my feelings were less – less human, less complex when I was a dog... but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. "

"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

Harry nodded, finally believing him. Hallelujah.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrews head.

"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves.

"Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.

"You wouldn't... you won't...," gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron.

"Ron... haven't I been a good friend... a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you... you're on my side, aren't you. "

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion.

"I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.

Peter then crawled to Hermione and began to beg her. "Sweet girl... clever girl... you - you won't let them... Help me..."

I put myself between them and point at Pettigrew with my wand. "Don't touch her!" I tell him.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and-turned his head slowly toward Harry.

"Harry... Harry... you look just like your father... just like him..."

"We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors... He can go to Azkaban... but don't kill him." Harry said.

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You – thank you – it's more than I deserve – thank you –"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because – I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers – just for you."

"I'm going to tie him up," said Lupin. "That's all, I swear."

"And two of us should be chained to this," said my father, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Lupin.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.

Dad conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left.

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry and I as we made our slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You' re free," said Harry and I said at unison.

"Yes...," said Black. "But I'm also – I don't know if anyone ever told you – I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared... if you wanted a... a different home..."

"What – live with you?" he said.

"And Cygnus, of course." My father said.

"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

"You want to?" I said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry. My father gaunt face broke into a true smile. Finally, one by one, we climbed out. A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

"Dad!" I yell pointing to the moon. My uncle saw it too. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Run," my father whispered. "Run. Now."

Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. Harry leapt forward but Black caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Leave it to me – RUN!"

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from our side side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.

I stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted me–

I turn around and see that Pettigrew had transformed. Ron and Hermione are on the floor. My father and uncle Remus were fighting too close to them. I run to help Hermione pick up Ron when my uncle dashed towards us. Ron got to stand up when I feel I sharp, terrible pain of my back.

I let a loud scream. I turn around and see my uncle right behind me. One of his forepaws is raised ready to attack me again. I saw my dad look at me and let out a bark but then my uncle turned his attention to him and then lifted him up. He was about throw him to the ground when he let out a wail of pain. Shadow had bit him in the leg. She and Sirius were fighting my uncle. I feel someone drag me away from them. I began to run to the castle before fainting in the middle of the road, because of blood loss.

When I woke up I see Hermione sitting on a chair next to me, asleep. I look around and see that I am in the hospital wing. What a surprise… I have been so many times here. It feels like home by now. This particular situation reminds me of my first year, when I woke up and found Hermione holding my hand.

"Hey…" Hermione whispers, waking up at the sound of my movement.

"Hey…" I say. "How long have I been out?"

"Enough to make me wonder if you would ever open your eyes again." She says coming to the side of my bed.

"And you were here all the time?" I ask, trying to sit up.

"Of course" she says, helping me sit up. I looked down to myself. My chest and my stomach were wrapped in bandages. The real damage was in my back, though. A sea of images cross my mind: my father, Peter, Harry knowing the truth, uncle Lupin transforming into a werewolf, my uncle attacking me.

"What happened after I passed out?"

"Let's wait for Harry and Ron. Meanwhile, Madame Promfey asked me to look after you until she came back. She asked me to change your bandages if she wasn't here when you woke up." She says, getting some supplies. I touch my back, and feel that my bandages were wet, probably they were leaking blood.

"Could Madame Promfey heal these?" I ask, touching my back.

"Not exactly, she said that they were deep. They will have to heal on their own." Hermione tells me, while she carefully removes my bandages. "Any bite or scratch obtained from a werewolf, whether in human or animal form, will leave permanent scars. Remember?"

I sigh. I hear Hermione gasp when she sees my scars. I can't tell how bad they are, I can't see them. "How bad are they?" We walk to a full length mirror and I see them. I have deep three scars ranging from my right shoulder blade to the left side of my hip.

"Can I touch them?" I hear Hermione say. I am perplexed by her petition but I nod. She hesitantly reaches my back, and then she traces the length of them, one by one, with her finger. I shiver, not because of the pain, it's her touch. I feel my heart pound hard against my chest. We walk back to the bed, it sit on the edge and she sit next to me. She begins to put some cream on the cuts. I clenched my teeth at the piercing pain.

"I know it hurts but I have to put this on." Hermione says a little worried. She slowly wraps the new bandages, making sure not to leave a single space without cover. When she ends I turn around to look at her. She is blushing.

"Thank you" I whisper, moving even closer to her. She gulps and nods.

"I am sorry" she whispers. "For everything I yelled at you on the Shrieking Shack. I didn't mean it. I would never want you away from me."

"Don't worry. It's okay." I say holding her hand. My heart begins to beat faster than before. We are so close… I lean in, my face barely inches away from hers. My breath starts mixing with hers, and I was about to close the distance when I hear someone clear his throat. Ron and Harry had walked in.

"We kind of noticed that you are a little busy. Do you want us to come later?" Ron said mockingly. I feel like I might kill someone. Why did they had to interrupt? Why could they just leave us alone and come back later? I huffed in frustration. Hermione was staring at the ceiling, with a slight blush on her checks. Harry and Ron begin to laugh hard. Once they finally calmed down, they started to tell me what happened.

"After you fainted, Lupin and Sirius got in some bigger fight. I tried to stop him from attacking Sirius but then we heard a wolf howl and we ran off. Now that I think about it, it was Shadow, she was there too." said Harry.

"Then, Harry and I heard a dog whining so we ran down to the edge of the lake and found him lying there unconscious. The dementors came and began to feed from the three of us. Someone in the distance produced a strong patronus and we passed out. Next thing we know is that we were here with you." Hermione said.

"We were you Ron?" I asked.

"Knocked out. After you passed out Lupin threw my head against a rack." He mumbled.

"Anyway, when we woke up, we heard that Sirius had been captured and that they sentenced him to the dementor kiss. Then, Dumbledore came in saying something about time and saving two innocents lives. Turns out Hermione has a time turner." Harry tells me.

"That is how I have been attending to all the classes. Anyway, we went back in time and saved Buckbeak and your dad. He is free now, but he is going to hide for a bit. He wanted us to tell you that he loves you and that he will write soon." Hermione explains me, still avioding to make eye contact with me.

"Where is Shadow?" I say. They look at each other nervously.

"Uh… we don't know" says Ron.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… we have been looking for her, she is nowhere to be found. She might be on the Forbidden Forest or…" Harry explains.

"Dead" I say. I feel sad, she was a great dog. She died for us, at least she died like a hero.

I was allowed to leave the hospital one day later, so I decided to give my uncle a visit.

"Uncle Remus?" I say, tapping the door.

"Come in, Tony" I entered and saw that everything was packed. "They fired you?"

"No, I resigned. Someone told everyone that I was a werewolf."

"Bet it was Snape." I mumble.

"That doesn't matter. What matter is that I hurt you. You know I would have never hurt you on propouse."

"I know. It was an accident. You still are my uncle and godfather." I tell him giving him a short hug. My hurts still hurts too much. Madame Pomfey told me it would take me moths to regain the mobility I had before.

The Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning. The four of us hopped into an empty compartment together and headed to Kings Cross.

"Harry," said Hermione suddenly, peering over my shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"

Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. Harry opened the window and caught the tiny owl.

"It's from Sirius! Tony it's for me and you."

"What?" said Ron and Hermione excitedly. "Read it aloud!"

_Dear Harry and Cygnus,_

_I hope this finds you before it reachs someone else. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job._

_I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted._

_There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolts _–

"Ha!" said Hermione triumphantly. "See! I told you it was from him!"

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" said Ron. "Ouch!" The tiny owl, now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way.

_Shadow took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used Cygnus name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather and father._

_I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave Harry that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you._

_I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable._

_If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me. I'll write again soon._

_Sirius_

Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. It was a permission signed by my dad for Harry to go to Hogsmade.

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a RS..."

_I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat._

Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. "Keep him?" he said uncertainly. Then he held the owl to Crooshanks to sniff, surprising every single one of us.

"What do you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?"

Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine."

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, everyone? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work." Ron says as we crossed the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters.

"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled before leaving.

I walked over to Hermione. "I'll see you soon. Alright?" I said.

"Sounds good to me." she says.

"See you later then." I tell her, and then head towards my aunt.

_The end of another book, is here. Did you like it? Harry now knows the thruth, Ron has a new owl and Tony and Hermione... well... its complicated, at least for them. Anyway,( I like this word I dont know why) I asked you last chapter if you wanted Anthony to enter the tournament or not. I got a review from __**ThatOneGirlNoOneNotices **__giving me this great idea of taking the age limit away, and instead of Cedric being picked, it would be Anthony. I absolutely loved this idea! Thank you, I will write the story based on that. Uh... well... Uhmm... I think that is everything for now. As always, leave me a review saying what yout think, could be loving or full of hate, I dont mind. Love you guys, thank you for the support, see you on the next chapter with the beggining of Goblet of Fire._

_-Lobo Sombra._


	28. Back to the Burrow

**The Goblet of Fire**

Chapter 28

"Have you got everything?" My aunt asked, yawning. It was early in the morning maybe 6:30 or 7:00.

"Yes" I say, holding my trunk. Then he reaches her arm and I take it. I grabbed hold and then we appeared on the Weasleys home. The Burrow.

"Have fun at the cup, my dear. I'll see you off at the train on September 1st." My aunt said, hiving me one last hug and then she apparate on only God knows where to do who knows what. I have never asked what she works on, so I can only imagine. I picked up my trunk and dragged it inside.

"Anthony! So wonderful to see you! My, my, you have changed." said Mrs. Weasley coming out of the kitchen to hug me.

"It's wonderful to see you too. Where is everyone?" I ask looking around; everything is so quiet and empty.

"Arthur is at work, and the rest are still asleep. You look a little bit tired too, why don't you go upstairs and rest for a little?" She told me. I gave her a nod and one last hug before going to Ronald's room. I open the door and find a snoring Ron, deeply asleep on his bed. I slowly approach the other bed; I crawled in and fell asleep.

When I woke up I looked at clock between the tables and saw that I was almost 8:30. I crawled out of bed to wake up Ron.

"Ron" I whispered. He grunted. "Ron, wake up." I insisted, a little louder this time.

"No" he mumbled.

"Damn it Ron, wake up. It's time to get out of bed." I say.

"Ten more minutes mom, just ten…" he groaned.

"I am not you mother." I say, pushing him off the bed, making him roll and fell to the ground.

"Why do you have to be so rough when you wake me?" he hisses.

"Because you don't move you lazy ass" I say, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Come on, we have to go for breakfast."

"When did you get here?" he asks me, as we go downstairs.

"Around 6:30. Your mother insisted I should rest before breakfast." I say, sitting on the table. After ten minutes Hermione and Ginny go down for breakfast. As soon as I saw them, I stood up, making Ron chuckle a bit.

"Hey" I told Hermione, getting close and looking at all of her. I hadn't seen her all summer and she changed quite a bit. She looked more beautiful than ever. She was a little taller and her chest area was reasonably sized, not that it matters anway...

"What?" she asks raising her eyebrow.

"Nothing" I say, feeling that I blush a little. I begin to scratch the back of my neck. "It's just that are a little different from the last time we saw each other."

She rolls her eyes and smirks. She eyes me up and down. "Well, you don't look half bad yourself."

I was 5´7 in height and around 130 to 140 pounds. My chest got bigger so my shoulders broaden too. My voice was deeper now, sounded almost like an adult. My uncle Remus warned me about 14. He told me that when my father turned 14, puberty hit him hard so he hand girls following him more than usual. Great, isn't it? Looks like the story is repeating. I smirk.

"Changes are good, don't you think?" I ask, hugging her. The hug lasted more than usual hugs… Let's face it, during the summer I realized I liked Hermione more than I thought. Couldn't get her off my mind.

"Guys, I am having breakfast. Go and get a room." says Ron, making a face of disgust. Ginny gives me an apologetic look and smacks Ron on the back of his head when she passes next to him. Hermione and I laugh. At five o'clock that night, it was time to go and get Harry. I wave goodbye to Hermione and Ginny and then go to the fireplace.

"Everyone ready?" Mr. Weasley asked. We nodded.

"Number 4 Private Drive" yelled Mr. Weasley throwing the floo powder and disappearing.

"You are next Fred. Then George" said Mrs. Weasley. The twins went next and then it was my turn.

"Number 4 Private Drive" I yelled. Green flames wrapped around me and I began spinning. I spun and watched many fireplaces as I flew by and then I stopped. The place I landed was pitch dark.

"Ouch! Tony go back and tell Ron…"

"Arggg" I moaned as Ron landed on the top of me.

"Mr. Weasley? Can you hear me?" said a voice I could recognize anywhere. "Mr. Weasley, it's Harry . . . the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there."

"Why on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?" I ask.

"They've got an electric fire," Harry explained.

"Really?" said Mr. Weasley's voice excitedly. "Electric, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that. . . . Let's think . . . ouch, Ron!"

"What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?" Ron asks.

"Oh no, Ron," came Fred's voice, very sarcastically. "No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up."

"Yeah, we're having the time of our lives here," said George, whose voice sounded muffled.

"Boys, boys ..." said Mr. Weasley vaguely. "I'm trying to think what to do... Yes... only way ... Stand back, Harry."

"Wait a moment!" someone yelled, I could only assume it was Harry's uncle. "What exactly are you going to —" BANG.

Mr. Weasley had exploded the fireplace and we all came tumbling out. When we stood up Harry's aunt gasped. "Vernon, dear. That boy over there, he looks like the murderer we saw on TV. The murderer who is the boy's godfather."

"That is because I am his son." I say taking out my wand and pointing it at them. They stepped back and I smirked. "And I wouldn't call him a murderer again, unless you want him to pay you a visit."

"That's enough, Tony." Mr. Weasley said. Harry, Ron and the twins laughed.

"Ah — you must be Harry's aunt and uncle! "Er — yes — sorry about that," said Mr. Weasley, lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. "It's all my fault. It just didn't occur to me that we wouldn't be able to get out at the other end. I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see — just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry. Muggle fireplaces aren't supposed to be connected, strictly speaking — but I've got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I disapparate."

I could bet they didn't understand a word of this.

"Hello, Harry!" said Mr. Weasley brightly. "Got your trunk ready?"

"It's upstairs," said Harry, grinning back.

"We'll get it," said Fred at once.

"Nice to see you, Harry." I say, giving him a hug.

"You too. Hey Ron" he said giving Ron a hug.

Dudley suddenly appeared in the room. Dudley was a hefty boy who was still clutching his bottom as though afraid it might fall off. Weird…. Harry, Ron and I exchanged glances and then quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. Fred and George came back into the room carrying Harry's school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical evil grins.

"Ah, right," said Mr. Weasley. "Better get cracking then." He pushed up the sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. He lighted a fire and threw some floo powder into it, making the flames turn green.

"Off you go then, Fred," said Mr. Weasley.

"Coming," said Fred. "Oh no — hang on —" A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred's pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction — big, fat toffees in brightly colored wrappers.

Fred scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward, and walked right into the fire, saying "the Burrow!" and Fred vanished.

"Right then, George," said Mr. Weasley, "you and the trunk." I looked at George and saw that his was smirking as he vanished. These two are up to something.

"You are next, Tony." I stepped into the fireplace and yelled my destination. Seconds later I landed on the living room of the Burrow.

"What did you two do?" I asked the twins.

"Wait and see." laughed George. Ron came next and we waited. Then Harry tumbled in.

"Did he eat it?" said Fred excitedly, holding out a hand to pull Harry to his feet.

"Yeah," said Harry, straightening up. "What was it?"

"Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred brightly. "George and I invented them, and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer. . . ."

Then two people burst out laughing in the kitchen. I turned and saw two read heads I had never seen before.

"How're you doing, Tony?" said the nearer of the two, grinning at me and holding out a large hand, which I shook, feeling calluses and blisters under his fingers. This had to be Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania. Charlie was built like the twins, shorter and stockier than Percy and Ron. His arms were muscular, and one of them had a large, shiny burn on it.

Then I shook hands with Bill. I knew that he worked for the wizarding bank, Gringotts, and that Bill had been Head Boy at Hogwarts; I had always imagined Bill to be an older version of Percy: fussy about rule-breaking and fond of bossing everyone around. However, Bill was — there was no other word for it — cool. He was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. Then they moved to Harry.

Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr. Weasley appeared.

"That wasn't funny, Fred!" he shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?"

"I didn't give him anything," said Fred, with another evil grin. "I just dropped it. . . . It was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."

"You dropped it on purpose!" roared Mr. Weasley. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet —"

"How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly.

"It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!"

Everyone roared with laughter again.

"It isn't funny!" Mr. Weasley shouted. "You wait until I tell your mother —"

"Tell me what?" said a voice behind them. Mrs. Weasley had just entered the kitchen. "Oh hello, Harry, dear," she said, spotting him and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her husband. "Tell me what, Arthur?"

Mr. Weasley hesitated. I could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs. Weasley what had happened. Then two girls appeared in the kitchen doorway behind Mrs. Weasley. Hermione and Ginny.

"It's nothing, Molly," mumbled Mr. Weasley, "Fred and George just — but I've had words with them —"

"What have they done this time?" said Mrs. Weasley. "If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes —"

"Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?" said Hermione from the doorway.

"He knows where he's sleeping," said Ron, "in my room, he slept there last —"

"We can all go," said Hermione pointedly.

"Oh," said Ron, cottoning on. "Right."

"Yeah, we'll come too," said George.

"You stay where you are!" snarled Mrs. Weasley.

"What are Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" Harry asked as we climbed the stairs.

Ron and Ginny both laughed, although Hermione didn't.

"Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room," said Ron quietly. "Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was brilliant; I never knew they'd been inventing all that . . ."

"We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually making things," said Ginny. "We thought they just liked the noise."

"Only, most of the stuff — well, all of it, really — was a bit dangerous" said Ron, "and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burned all the order forms. . . . She's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.L.s as she expected."

Of course they were doing this. It wasn't exactly a secret that they wanted to open their own joke shop. I am still amazed by the fact that her mother still cleans their room. They are 16, after all. Finally we made it to Ron's room.

"Shut up, Pig," said Ron, edging his way between two of the five beds that had been squeezed into the room. "Fred and George are in here with us, because Bill and Charlie are in their room," he told Harry. "Percy gets to keep his room all to himself because he's got to work."

"Er — why are you calling that owl Pig?" Harry asked Ron.

"Because he's being stupid," said Ginny. "Its proper name is Pigwidgeon."

"Yeah, and that's not a stupid name at all," said Ron sarcastically. "Ginny named him," he explained to Harry. "She reckons it's sweet. And I tried to change it, but it was too late, he won't answer to anything else. So now he's Pig. I've got to keep him up here because he annoys Errol and Hermes. He annoys me too, come to that."

"My father gave you that 'annoying' owl," I whispered to Ron quietly so Ginny couldn't hear. Soon we heard the arguing stop and we headed downstairs.

"We're eating out in the garden," Mrs. Weasley said when they came in. "There's just not room for eleven people in here. Could you take the plates outside, girls? Bill and Charlie are setting up the tables. Knives and forks, please, you three," she said to Ron, Harry and I.

"I don't know where we went wrong with them," said Mrs. Weasley, putting down her wand and starting to pull out still more saucepans. "It's been the same for years, one thing after another, and they won't listen to — OH NOT AGAIN!"

She had picked up her wand from the table, and it had emitted a loud squeak and turned into a giant rubber mouse.

"One of their fake wands again!" she shouted. "How many times have I told them not to leave them lying around?"

She grabbed her real wand and turned around to find that the sauce on the stove was smoking.

"C'mon," Ron said hurriedly to us, seizing a handful of, cutlery from the open drawer, "let's go and help Bill and Charlie."

We left Mrs. Weasley and headed out the back door into the yard. A very loud crashing noise was coming from the other side of the house. The source of the commotion was revealed as we entered the garden, and saw that Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, and were making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other, each attempting to knock the other's out of the air. Fred and George were cheering, Ginny was laughing, and Hermione was hovering near the hedge, apparently torn between amusement and anxiety. I took a seat next to Hermione and began cheering.

There was a clatter from overhead, and we all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor.

"Will you keep it down?!" he bellowed.

"Sorry, Perce," said Bill, grinning. "How're the cauldron bottoms coming out on?"

"Very badly," said Percy peevishly, and he slammed the window shut. Chuckling, Bill and Charlie directed the tables safely onto the grass.

By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking, the nine Weasleys, Hermione, Harry and I sitting on the table. I sat next to Hermione and Harry, Bill and Charlie where in front of us.

At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his father all about his report on cauldron bottoms. It sounded so boring that I completely ignored that. In the middle of the table, Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Bill about his earrings, clothes and hair. Next to Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, and Charlie were all talking spiritedly about the World Cup. Now that was interesting.

"It's got to be Ireland," said Charlie thickly, through a mouthful of potato. "They flattened Peru in the semifinals."

"Bulgaria has got Viktor Krum, though," said Fred.

"Krum's one decent player, Ireland has got seven. The odds aren't exactly in his favor" I told them.

"He is right." Charlie said shortly. "I wish England had got through. That was embarrassing, that was."

"What happened?" said Harry eagerly. His aunt and uncle cut him off the wizarding world. So he had no idea of what happened during the Quidditch matches.

"Went down to Transylvania, three hundred and ninety to ten," said Charlie gloomily. "Shocking performance. And Wales lost to Uganda, and Scotland was slaughtered by Luxembourg."

Ron looked carefully up the table to check that the rest of the family were all busy talking, then he said very quietly to Harry, Hermione and I.

"So — have you heard from Sirius lately?"

"Yeah," said Harry softly, "twice. He sounds okay. I wrote to him yesterday. He might write back while I'm here." Then they turned to me.

"I saw him about two or three weeks ago. It was very brief. He didn't tell me he was going. He wanted to see how my back was doing and to see me." Last year, when Harry and the rest found of my father innocence, my uncle Remus, transformed into a werewolf. He lunged at my friends and I jumped in front of them and got scratched on the process. Now I had three scars ranging from my right shoulder blade to the left side of my hip. My uncle regrets it every time he sees me.

"Look at the time," Mrs. Weasley said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you — you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm getting everyone else's. You too, Tony. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."

"Wow — hope it does this time!" said Harry enthusiastically.

"Well, I certainly don't," said Percy sanctimoniously. "I shudder to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days."

"Yeah, someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?" said Fred.

"That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway!" said Percy, going very red in the face. "It was nothing personal!"

"It was," Fred whispered to Harry and I as we got up from the table. "We sent it."

_The begginig of the Goblet of Fire is here. There isnt much to say... just that I hope you enjoyed the chapter and ask you to be patient. The start might be a little slow, but I assure you that the later chapters will be far more interesnting. They include action, love, pain, jealousy ;) and more. See you on the next chapter,_

_-Lobo Sombra_


	29. Quidditch World Cup

Chapter 29

I felt as though he had barely lain down to sleep in Ron's room when I was being shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley.

"Time to go, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Ron.

"'S' time already?" said Fred groggily.

We dressed in silence, too sleepy to talk, then, yawning and stretching, the five of us headed downstairs into the kitchen. Mr. Weasley looked up as the boys entered and spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing sweater and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt.

"What d'you think?" he asked anxiously. "We're supposed to go incognito — do I look like a Muggle, Harry?"

"Yeah," said Harry, smiling, "very good."

"Where're Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn.

"Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?" said Mrs. Weasley. "So they can have a bit of a lie-in."

_"__Lucky, bastards"_ I thought.

"So they're still in bed?" said Fred grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge toward him. "Why can't we Apparate too?"

"Because you're not of age and you haven't passed your test," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "And where have those girls got to?"

She bustled out of the kitchen and we heard her climbing the stairs.

"You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done properly it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves."

Everyone except Harry winced at the thought.

"Er — splinched?" said Harry.

"They left half of themselves behind," said Mr. Weasley, now spooning large amounts of treacle onto his porridge. "So, of course, they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind. . . ."

"Were they okay?" Harry asked, startled.

"Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley matter-of-factly. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms — slower, but safer."

There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy.

"Why do we have to be up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table.

"We've got a bit of a walk," said Mr. Weasley.

"Walk?" said Harry. "What, are we walking to the World Cup?"

"No, no, that's miles away," said Mr. Weasley, smiling. "We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention.

"George!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and all of us jumped.

"What?" said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.

"What is that in your pocket?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't you lie to me!"

Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "_Accio!_"

Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand.

It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all.

All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as we took our departure. "Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs. Weasley, "and behave yourselves. " she called after the twins' retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer. "I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday," Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I set off across the dark yard after Fred and George.

Mr. Weasley, Harry and Ron were ahead, while Hermione, Ginny and I stood a few feet back. We didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass. Each breath I took was sharp in my chest and my legs were starting to seize up. In the middle of the road Ginny gave up and she sat on the ground.

"Leave me here" she panted. "Go on without me."

"We can't leave you here, Ginny" I say. An idea comes to me. "How about a piggyback ride?"

"Yes" she says, standing up.

"I don't think it is a good idea" Hermione says, concerned. I know what she is thinking about. My back.

"It's okay, Hermione" I assure her as Ginny climbs to my back. "I am not seventy years old."

"Thank you so much. I think I am in love with you." Ginny tells me. Then she looks over to Hermione, who is frowning. "Just kidding, Hermione." Her face slowly goes back to normal. Wait a minute. Is she disgusted by the idea of Ginny liking me? I'm hallucinating, right? Did she like me? I think the fatigue is affecting my senses.

"So tell me Ginny" I say, as we continue walking. "How is the mission seducing Potter going? Any results, yet?"

"Nope. It's all a failure." she tells me disappointed. "He will never like me."

"He will like you. Just give him some time. Meanwhile, you can date other guys."

"What kind of advice is that?" Hermione asks.

"It's the kind of advice a brother would tell her sister. Anyway, as I was telling before Hermione interrupted, you can date other guys to make him notice you. When he realizes other guys are interested in you, he will get interested and that would lead to jealousy. In other words, date someone else and he will notice you more."

"Have you been jealous before?" Ginny asks me. I think for a moment. I was jealous when I saw Hermione hugging Ron… but that's not something I am blurting out, especially in front of Hermione.

"Yeah, I have been jealous."

"Of who?" Hermione says.

"That my friend is classified information." I smirk.

"Really?" Hermione and Ginny ask at unison.

"I'm sorry but my mouth is sealed." I say, as my feet found level ground.

"Whew," panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. "Well, we've made good time — we've got ten minutes. . . ."

We all hit the ground, trying to breathe normally again.

"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!" someone yells. Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.

"Amos!" said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr. Weasley. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"

"Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all.

Everybody said hi back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year.

"Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked.

"Not too bad," said Mr. Weasley. "We live just on the other side of the village there. You?"

"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still . . . not complaining . . . Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy. . . ." Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and I. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads," said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Hermione, friend of Ron's, Anthony, another friend of Ron's — and Harry, other friend —"

"Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Er — yeah," said Harry.

I could tell he was uncomfortable. He was used to people staring at him, but it didn't mean he was comfortable with it.

"Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory. "Told us all about playing against you last year. . . . I said to him, I said — Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will. . . . You beat Harry Potter!"

I scowl. He didn't just say that. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed.

"Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered. "I told you . . . it was an accident. . . ."

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back.

"We should get going." I suddenly yell. I don't like the way the conversation is going, and it's probably ending worse.

"Must be nearly time," said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch me a 'thank you' look. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?"

"No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets," said Mr. Diggory. "There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?"

"Not that I know of," said Mr. Weasley. "Yes, it's a minute off. . . . We'd better get ready. . . ."

He looked around at Harry and Hermione.

"You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do —"

"Three . . ." muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, "two . . . one . . ."

Then it happened. I felt the hook just behind my navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. My feet left the ground; I could feel Ginny and Harry on either side of me, their shoulders banging into mine.

My feet slammed into the ground; Harry staggered into me and he fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near my head with a heavy thud.

"Get off me" I mumbled. Harry landed on me right on me. He looked down and smirked.

"I don't think so. I think I will stay here, you are so comfortable." He says, trying to squish me more.

"Damn it, Potter." I snapped. I rolled on the grass, making him fall to the ground with a heavy thud. I grinned and got up. We walked until we found a muggle.

"Morning!" said Mr. Weasley brightly.

"Morning," said the Muggle.

"Would you be Mr. Roberts?"

"Aye, I would," said Mr. Roberts. "And who're you?"

"Weasley — two tents, booked a couple of days ago?"

"Aye," said Mr. Roberts, consulting a list tacked to the door. "You've got a space up by the wood there. Just the one night?"

"That's it," said Mr. Weasley.

"You'll be paying now, then?" said Mr. Roberts.

"Ah — right — certainly —" said Mr. Weasley. He retreated a short distance from the cottage and beckoned Harry toward him. He pulled a roll of Muggle money from his pocket and starting to peel the notes apart. He paid the muggle and we walked to the tent.

When we reached the tent, we saw it was very small. I looked like it could only fit one person. "We'll be a bit cramped," Mr. Weasley called, "but I think we'll all squeeze in. Come and have a look."

I gave Harry a confused look, which he returned. Fred and George went first and I went next. I felt my jaw dropped when I came in. It was huge from inside. It looked like an old-fashioned, three-room flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen.

Soon after that Bill, Percy and Charlie showed up, we ate dinner and then headed to the stadium.

"Prime seats!" said the Ministry witch at the entrance when she checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go."

"Blimely, dad. How far up are we?" Fred asked.

"Well, lets out it this way." Came the voice of I men I knew too well for my liking. Lucius Malfoy. "If it rains you will be the first to know." I saw Draco walking behind him.

"Father and I are in the Minister Box. Invited by Cornelius Fudge himself." said Draco. His dad hit him with his walking stick.

"Hush up, Draco" he hissed. I gave a look of pity to Draco. He worked so hard to please her father. His father was so hard with him that his mother babied him. All he wanted to do was to be like his father, even when he is not a very likable person. " Ahhh, if it isn't Black Jr. I thought you knew better than hanging out with blood traitors."

"There is something funny about your family, Mr. Malfoy. You can't mind your own business. And it's a shame. Nobody likes gossipy people." I snapped, climbing up the stairs.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asks me once we are on the box.

"I'm fine. Like I care what Lucius Malfoy thinks." I say. He doesn't like me and I don't like him, our relationship can't be better.

"Dobby?" said Harry incredulously. I tuned to see what he was looking at. There I saw a tiny house elf who turned out not to be Dobby.

"Did sir just call me Dobby?" squeaked the elf.

"Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew."

"But I knows Dobby too, sir!" squeaked the elf. "My name is Winky, sir — and you, sir —" Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar. "You are surely Harry Potter!"

I roll my eyes. Of course. Harry is famous even among house elves. They continued talking about I don't know what until the match started.

"Ladies and gentlemen . . . welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" the minister yelled. The spectators screamed and clapped. "And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce . . . the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

"I wonder what they've brought," said Mr. Weasley, leaning forward in his seat. . "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and polished them hurriedly on his robes. "Veela!"

"What are veel — ?" Harry started to ask but he stopped.

Veela were women . . . the most beautiful women I had ever seen . . . except that they weren't — they couldn't be — human. The veela had started to dance, and I mind had gone completely and blissfully blank. I close my eyes and shook my head. _"Stop looking at them, before you do something stupid."_ I thought to myself. I turned my back to Veela and look for something to look at meanwhile. Hermione was staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Why aren't you trying to jump off the edge to get the Veela like Harry or Ron?"

"I don't know…" I shrug.

"And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air . . . for the Irish National Team Mascots!"

"Excellent!" yelled Ron.

"Leprechauns!" said Mr. Weasley over the tumultuous applause. Once the Leprechauns left, each member of both teams were presented and then match was started.

The speed of the players was incredible — the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle to one another so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names. The match became still faster, but more brutal. Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking the Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Irish Chasers, and were starting to prevent them from using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks; dodge the Keeper, Ryan; and score Bulgaria's first goal.

When the match was over I couldn't believe it. It was amazing. Ireland won even though Krum caught the Snitch. Fred and George had huge grins on their faces. That was exactly what they bet.

When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that we could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in.

"There is no one like Krum." Ron said. "Not only he is a seeker, he is an artist." He continued saying. I give a glance at Harry and the both of us start laughing.

"I think you are in love Ron." Ginny joked. Fred then got on his knee and held Ron's left hand while George held the right.

"Krum I love you"

"Krum I do"

"My heart only beats for you." We all sang while Ron stood there and looked disgruntled. Then there was a loud noise.

"Sound like the Irish's are having fun". George said.

"It's not the Irish." said Mr. Weasley as he walked into the tent. Then he said in a severe tone. "We have to get out of here."

When we walked outside there was fire everywhere. By the light of the few fires that were still burning, I could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire.

A crowd of wizards tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward was marching slowly across the field. Then I realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. It was impossible… they were Death Eaters.

At the same moment, Bill, Charlie, and Percy emerged from the boys' tent, fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and their wands out. "We're going to help the Ministry!" Mr. Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. "You lot — get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"

Bill, Charlie, and Percy were already sprinting away toward the oncoming marchers; Mr. Weasley tore after them.

"C'mon," said Fred, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her toward the wood. Harry, Ron, Hermione, George and I followed. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. I felt myself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces I could not see.

Suddenly, someone grabs me by the arm and drags me away from the rest of the group. I tried to shout, but he put his other hand on my mouth. I looked up and saw that it was Draco.

"Draco, what is going on?" I said, taking his hand out of my mouth.

"No time to explain. Just follow me." he said as we marched towards the woods.

"No I have to go back. The rest…"

"They will be fine, come on" he dragged me into some part of the woods I have never been. We were close to the campsite, though. I could see the fire some meters away. It was maybe too close to my liking.

"Don't you think we are close?" I ask him when we finally stop walking.

"Exactly, they won't look for us here."

"Where is your father? Your family?"

He doesn't respond. He looks to the campsite with sadness. Did they attack them? I don't thinks so. I think it for a moment… Does he mean what I think he means?

"Is he one of them?" He nods. We are in silence for a few minutes.

"Don't tell anyone." Draco hisses, trying to sound harsh but it sounded more like a pleading.

"I won't." I was going to say something else when suddenly Draco shouted: "Get down!"

Something in his voice made me obey him; he raised his wand and yelled "Expelliarmus!" I turned around and saw a black figure behind me who then dissaperated. His spell had shot a wooden structure above and then came crashing down. I took steps back to avoid getting my head split in two.

"Run, Cyguns, Run!" I hear Draco yell from the other side of the trees and I did as he said. I began to run down the woods, until I my legs hurt. I stopped to catch my breath, when suddenly someone hits my head with a branch, knocking me out.

_Pam, pam, pam, pam. A cliffhanger. I am sorry, I meant to update this yestarday but I sadly I couldnt. Did you like this chapter? I personally liked the part where Tony and Ginny talk about Harry and dating other guys. You will now probably wonder who knocked out Tony... and its really no one in particular... or that is what I want you to think... I changed it to make it different from the original story. Tell me what you think in a review, i love to hear (in this case read) your opinions. See you later,_

_-Lobo Sombra_


	30. The Triwizard Tournament

Chapter 30

I slowly regain conscious. I open my eyes and see that I am on the ground, my body covered with leaves and dirt. What the….? Then I remembered. Fire all over the campsite, screams as a group of people marched, me being separated of the group. My little talk with Draco. Draco saving my life. Whoa, I think I own Draco my life. Then I was running in the woods, and I was knocked out.

I stand up, clean the dust from my clothes and look at the sky. Must be around 2:30 or maybe 3:00 of the morning. I begin walking to campsite, looking for any sight of human activity. It's empty; everything is cleared, like someone picked up all the stuff and left. Everyone must be in their homes by now. I need to get back to the Burrow.

I left the site behind and went to the portkey and grabbed hold of it. I landed on the field we were earlier in Ottery St. Catchpole. I ran down the hill, arriving to the Burrow in no time. The road seems longer when you go upstream. I noticed that the lights were on. I peered through the window of the kitchen and saw that they were all standing up.

I entered through the back door and hear them talk about something. I take an apple, I am hungry and I hide behind the wall and listened.

"We have to go back." said a sobbing Hermione She is sitting on the couch and Ginny has an arm around her shoulder. "He could be there."

"Honey, we can't it's too risky." said Mrs. Weasley. I take a bite of my apple.

"Well there must be something we can do" Ginny said.

"All we can do is wait for the sun to come out. And hope he is still alive." Mr. Weasley tells her. _Hmmmm… they think I am dead? They are always thinking the worst._

"He is _not_ dead" Hermione snapped, angrily. _Thank you, at least someone thinks I am alive._

"We don't know that, Hermione." Ron tells her. That makes Hermione sob even harder. _Always so positive Ron._ I take another bite of my apple.

"Do you think they killed him?" Ginny asks.

"It's a possibility." Ron says.

"But they we after muggles" Harry said. "Why would they kill him?" _It seems that someone else is using his brain, good to know._

"I don't know. Perhaps he wanted to play the hero and tried to save someone." Ron keeps saying. I bite my apple_. I am starting to think that Ron hates me or at least wants me dead._

"You are out of your mind" Fred says.

"Let me get this straight, you are saying where are looking for a dead body?" George asks. I can't take this anymore. I quietly leave my hideout.

"If I am dead, what am I? A ghost?" I say and everyone lifts their heads when they hear me speak. I bite my apple. I chuckle at image of their faces in shock.

Hermione got up and in an instant she crossed the living room and threw her arms around my neck. I could feel her body shudder against mine as if she no longer had control of it. She struggled to breathe with each desperate gasp of air she took, only to release it again in another sob.

I could feel the dampness of her skin as I placed my hand upon her cheek. I stroke her cheek, wiping away some tears. I look at her in the eye. She has puffy eyes from crying.

"I thought… I thought… we thought you were…" she said, still sobbing.

"Dead? Nah just knocked out. After someone dragged away from the rest of you I escaped to the woods until someone knocked me out."

"Your kidnapper?" Mrs. Weasley asks.

"I don't think so." I say, thinking about Draco. "Left him far away behind."

"How did you get here?" Mr. Weasley asks.

"Portkey. You?"

"Appareting"

The room felt silent except for the now more quiet sobs of Hermione.

"Well, look at the time. Everyone go to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day." said Mrs. Weasley. "You can stay down here, Tony, you both have thing to talk about."

I gave her a thankful look as, one by one, they disappeared of sight. I take Hermione to the couch and make her sit. I put an arm around her shoulder and wait for her to calm down. When she does, she finally speaks.

"Please, don't you ever do that again. I don't think I will be able to endure this again."

"Don't worry" I tell her, stroking her hair. "You'll need more than a couple of crazy masked people to get rid of me."

She smiles weakly. "It's good to know. I was afraid that something happened to you."

"Me too. But it's better not to think about that. What it matter it's that we are safe."

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she says in more of a pleading tone.

I hesitate. Did she want me to sleep in the same bed as she? I don't know if I should feel worried or happy, maybe a mixture of both. "Sure, just lay down."

She lies on the couch and closes her eyes. I lie next to her, all my body tense, because of the proximity of our bodies. Without thinking it through, I put and arm around her. I expect her to tell to back off but the fact is that she doesn't, she curls against my body and feel myself relax. After a few minutes, I fall sleep.

Three days after the 'incident' at the World Cup, it was time to go to Hogwarts. Neither Hermione nor I mentioned our little… I don't know how to describe it… sleepover? Anyway, the next morning we woke up, our bodies still tangled, and before I could even blink, she was standing a few feet away from the couch. She thanked me for staying with her that night and then flew to Ginnys room, her checks still flushing, leaving me confused. Had she thought it was a mistake? At times like these I would like to know what people think.

I was standing next to Hermione when I spotted my aunt in platform 9 ¾.

"Tell Harry and the rest I will see you later," I say, looking over to my aunt. She sees my aunt too.

"Don't you want me to meet your family?" she asks, pretending to be offended. I raise my eyebrow.

"Do you want me to meet your parents?"

"Touché. See you later then." She gives me a kiss on the check and leaves. God, this girl is confusing! I make my way towards my aunt.

"Tony! Thank goodness you are alright" she says pulling me into a hug. "You could have send a letter saying that you were fine, you know? I have been sick worried about you."

"I know. I am sorry. I will send you a letter next time." I tell her, feeling really sorry. I decide not to tell her that I almost die. If it weren't for Draco I would be dead right now.

"You better do." She tells me in a serious/ playful tone. The train whistle began to sound. "Now go, before the train leaves you."

I got in the train and passed Fred and Georges compartment and hear them yell out "Tell us what is happening in Hogwarts" to Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Charlie. I reached our usual compartment and sat next to Ron.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," Ron said grumpily. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what —"

"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly. Then we heard Malfoy walk saying that Lucius wanted to send him to Durmstrang. I hope I can thank him before that happens.

"I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him." Hermione said when Draco's voice faded away.

"Durmstrang's another wizarding school?" said Harry.

"Yes," said Hermione spiffily, "and it's got a horrible reputation. According to An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts."

"I think I've heard of it," said Ron vaguely. "Where is it? What country?"

"Well, nobody knows, do they?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows. "Changing the subject, how did it go with your aunt?"

"Well, I am alive, so that is a progress" I say, smiling. "Didn't tell her what happened, though."

"Right, there is something I need to tell you." Harry said. Then he told me about the Dark Mark he saw on the World Cup.

"You really should tell dad. He might know what it means." I tell him.

Seamus and Neville joined us in some point pf the afternoon. They started to talk about the Quidditch Cup. After a while, I grew tired of the endless Quidditch talk, buried myself in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, and started trying to learn a Summoning Charm.

Finally we arrive at Hogwarts and watched as the first years got sorted. Every time I looked at the staff table, I felt a little disappointed. Uncle Remus should be there, and he would be there if it weren't for Snape's big mouth. The sorting felt eternal.

"Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving." I say.

"Yeah, I am so hungry I could eat a hippogriff" Ron says.

"In all you think is eating?" Hermione asks us.

After some time, the Sorting ended. Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome.

"I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "Tuck in."

"Finally" I say.

"Hear, hear!" said Harry and Ron loudly as the empty dishes filled magically before our eyes. I began to fill my plate and stuff myself.

"How is that you shove all that food in, and still be so thin?" Harry asks.

"It's called exercise; you should try it some time."

"I prefer Quidditch. The broom does almost everything for you" he says.

When the puddings too had been demolished, and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Dumbledore got to his feet again.

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered. I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmaede to all below third year.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Harry gasped. He looked at me, but I was too shocked to speak. I looked at Fred and George and they both had the same socked faces like mine.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts —"

But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.

A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, and then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.

He had strange eyes. One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye — and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence as the man reached the staff table and started to eat. "Professor Moody."

"Is that Mad-Eye Moody?" I asked Ron.

"Must be," said Ron in a low, awed voice.

"What happened to him?" Hermione whispered. "What happened to his face?"

"Dunno," Ron whispered back, watching Moody with fascination.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" said Fred loudly. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said. "some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.

Of course I heard what the Tournament was about. It was not-so-friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. An impartial judge will decide which students are the most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money.

"I'm going for it!" Fred and George hissed down the table.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age fourteen or older will be allowed to put their names forward for consideration. So if you are on the age limits, you will enter the tournament under you responsibility."

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. So now rest as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

"Hell, yeah!" said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving toward the door. "We are entering, aren't we Fred?"

"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred. "The champions will get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"

"Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons . . ."

"Come on," said Hermione, "we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and I began to move.

"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" said Harry.

"Dunno," said Fred, "Will you enter?"

"You must admit it would be interesting," said Ron.

"Yeah, you can bring glory to your house and yourself and everything" I comment.

"But Dumbledore won't choose you; he knows that you're too young to enter in this competition." Hermione said.

"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are."

"You talk as if the judges don't think." I say.

"Who knows? Maybe they don't" George says hopefully.

Next morning the four of us headed to breakfast, where Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were discussing about their way into the Triwizard Tournament.

"Today's not bad . . . outside all morning," said Ron, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule. "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures . . . damn it, we're still with the Slytherins. . ."

"Double Divination this afternoon," Harry groaned, looking down.

"Harry, could you tell me how you are going to die this year? After lunch, of course." I say.

"Shut it"

"You should have given it up like me, shouldn't you?" said Hermione briskly, buttering herself some toast. "Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy."

"Arithmancy is basically Divitation with numbers" I told her while eating my cereal. She rolled her eyes and continued eating.

That morning went a little bit slower than I would have liked. Professor Sprout showed us the ugliest plants I have ever seen. Bubotubers. It can do funny things to the skin when undiluted, and you have to squeeze it to get pus, which is very valuable. In Care for Magical Creatures had us feeding Blast-Ended Skrewts. They looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads. They smelled like fish too. After lunch I went with Mrs. Babbling for Ancient Runes Study, while Harry and Ron went to Divination. The class was great, as usual, and she didn't give us any homework. After that we went to dinner where we found Fred, George and Lee Jordan talking about his lesson with Mad-Eye Moddy.

"Moody!" Fred said. "How cool is he?"

"Beyond cool," said George, sitting down opposite Fred.

"Supercool," said, Lee Jordan, sliding into the seat beside George. "We had him this afternoon," he told us.

"What was it like?" said Harry eagerly.

Fred, George, and Lee exchanged looks full of meaning.

"Never had a lesson like it," said Fred.

"He knows, man," said Lee.

"Knows what?" said Ron, leaning forward.

"Knows what it's like to be out there doing it," said George impressively.

"Doing what?" said Harry.

"Fighting the Dark Arts," said Fred.

"He's seen it all," said George.

" 'Mazing," said Lee.

Ron dived into his bag for his schedule.

"We haven't got him till Thursday!" he said in a disappointed voice.

_I have bad news everyone. My exams start tomorrow, so I know for fact that I will have a busy week, besides I have to train soccer and blah blah blah. The point is that I wont be able to update next week. I know, I am truly sorry, but next Monday I have Maths exam and I will study all the weekend. Once more, I am sory, I will see you in two weeks, you know you I love you_

_-Lobo Sombra _


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